Russell Martin, Pirates win 5-1 over Rockies
By David Miniel
Russell Martin helped the Pirates beat the Rockies, with his only hit of the game.
Starting pitcher A.J. Burnett fanned nine batters, allowing one run in a complete game win against the Rockies today.
He allowed eight hits, walked one batter in his first complete game of the season, his 23rd of his career. Burnett confused the National League’s third-best offense, recording 15 ground outs against two fly ball outs. He also held the Rockies without an extra-base hit.
The Rockies scratched out a meaningless run in the seventh inning on two singles and a wild pitch, when they already trailed 5-0. Burnett is 5-7 on the year, ranking ninth in the National League with 141 strikeouts and eighth with a 2.37 ERA
Martin’s home run came off of Many Corpas, being a 357 shot to left field. Corpas relieved pitcher Juan Nicasio. Martin sat out Saturday because Pittsburgh is trying to give him some rest to counter a chronic knee injury.
The veteran catcher isn’t expected to sit much the rest of the season as back up catcher Michael McKenry is out for the rest of the season with a knee injur of his own. Martin is batting .252 this season, on pace for 15 home runs and 60 RBI’s.
Juan Nicasio allowed four runs on six hits over just 4 1/3 innings of work in the loss. He struck out four and walked three. Juan posted a terrific 0.47 ERA in his first three starts after being recalled from Triple-A on July 12th.
He has come back to earth after giving up 12 runs over 8 1/3 innings in two starts since. The right hander falls to 6-6 on the year with a 5.05 ERA.