Cutch battles bug, at-bat to score on Cedeno’s walk-off hit

Andrew McCutchen was a late scratch on Friday’s game against the Dbacks due to a stomach bug. Nothing a little nap and food can’t fix right?

“I told JR I was ready,” McCutchen recalled.

Cutch was brought into the bottom of the ninth inning of a tied ball game to pinch-hit for John Bowker. He fell quickly 0-2 against Vasquez but worked the count and drew a six pitch walk.

“I said ‘Just bear down and battle,’” McCutchen said. “I was able to do that.”

Ryan Doumit came up to the plate next. Vasquez’s command was off, and Doumit drew a walk.

Ronny Cedeno was the next Pirate to step to the plate. With runners on first and second, Cedeno hit the ball into short center delivering in the walk-off run.

“I’m trying to put the ball in play because I know ‘Cutch can run,” Cedeno said. “I knew they were going to throw me inside. I was very excited because we didn’t play real good in the road trip. I think we’re fighting, and we’ve been competing the last seven days.”

It was a well deserved win that the team deserved after battling on the road, losing four of the six games by just one run.

“You guys all knew we were going to come and play hard [Friday],” said Hanrahan, who logged 1 1/3 scoreless innings. “The way those guys worked those ABs was great.”

Brian Burres pitched seven innings allowing three runs –two earned– on seven hits. He didn’t walk a single batter, he has only issued one free pass in his last 20 innings pitched.

“It’s really a lot of just focusing on one pitch at a time when you’re out there,” Burres said. “Don’t try to get ahead of yourself. Usually when you do that, the pitch goes where you want it to.”