UPDATED: The Indians are in last place. So are the Pirates, but more than 28,000 came to PNC Park in Pittsburgh to watch them play baseball Friday night. At least a mud-wrestling match didn't break out.
View full sizeIndians closer Kerry Wood made a rare appearance on Friday in Pittsburgh and made quick work of the Pirates, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth to finish off the Tribe's victory.PITTSBURGH -- OK, so maybe you had no interest in seeing two of the worst teams in the big leagues tangle on a muggy Friday night at PNC Park. It's a free country and people can do what they want.
But how do you explain the more than 28,000 fans who came to the ballpark to watch the Indians beat the Pirates, 4-3, in an interleague game? Don't say that there's nothing else to do on a Friday night in the Steel City. This place has a good vibe.
There maybe some of that Browns-Steelers rivalry at the root of this. Or maybe it was just a good night to watch a baseball game in a city that is much like Cleveland -- a good baseball town made ill by questionable management and ownership.
For six innings it didn't look like anyone was going to score. It made sense. The Pirates are last in the 16-team National League in scoring. The Indians rank 11th in the 14-team American League.
It helps explain why the Pirates have lost a season-high 12 straight games, while the Indians broke a four-game losing streak with Friday's victory.
When the Indians finally took a 4-0 lead in the seventh, manager Manny Acta said to himself, "It's over." He was basing that observation on what Fausto Carmona did to the Pirates through the first six innings.
Not only had he held them scoreless, he allowed only two hits and no walks, while striking out seven.
"I thought we were going to cruise," Acta said.
The cruise turned rough.
Neil Walker started the bottom of the seventh with a single. Andrew McCutchen walked and Garret Jones singled to load the bases. Ryan Church, the former Indians farmhand, unloaded them with a three-run double to the wall in left center to make it 4-3. Carmona was done after only 85 pitches and Acta had to entrust a one-run lead to a bullpen that has the highest ERA in the AL.
"I always appreciate the bullpen, and not just tonight," Carmona said.
First came lefty Rafael Perez, with Church on second and no one out. He retired rookie Pedro Alvarez on a fly ball to right as Church advanced to third. Then he popped up switch-hitting Ryan Doumit.
View full sizePirates manager John Russell, left, takes the ball from starter Paul Maholm in the seventh inning. Maholm had success shutting down the Tribe until the seventh.Frank Herrmann relieved and retired Ronny Cedeno on a fly ball to center to end the inning and protect the lead. Herrmann has not allowed a run in seven appearances since getting promoted from Class AAA Columbus.
Chris Perez took over in the eighth. He gave up a one-out double in the eighth, but retired Walker and McCutchen to end the threat. Then the ball went to Kerry Wood.
The little-used Indians closer, who blew his previous save opportunity, worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in seven chances. It was his first save since June 5.
"That was nice," Wood said. "We need a few more of those."
Chris Perez agreed. "That's the way you draw it up. I was sitting in the bullpen thinking it was over after seeing us score four runs and seeing what Fausto was doing to the Pirates. Give Pittsburgh credit, they came back."
Carmona (6-5, 3.31) won for just the second time in his past six starts. He allowed three runs on five hits.
Jhonny Peralta started the four-run seventh with a double high off the right-field wall against Paul Maholm (4-5, 3.77). A single by Anderson Hernandez sent Peralta to third and rookie Jason Donald singled past first for a 1-0 lead. Acta let Carmona hit instead of going with a pinch-hitter because he had the lead and was dominating the Pirates, but Carmona struck out.
Trevor Crowe picked him up with an RBI single. Shin-Soo Choo singled home another run to knock Maholm out of the game. Carlos Santana finished the scoring with an RBI double to right. After Crowe scored, Choo was thrown out at the plate.
"Once you break the seal and get that first run, it takes the pressure off the rest of the offense," Crowe said.
Maholm held the Indians hitless until Santana singled to start the fourth. Carmona gave up leadoff singles to Jones in the second and Walker in the fourth.
The victory was only the Indians' third at PNC Park in 10 games. They are 4-6 in interleague play. The Pirates are 0-7.
To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158