April 11, 2013
PHOENIX (AP) – A.J. Pollock homered twice, doubled and drove in four runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks salvaged the final game of their series against Pittsburgh, routing the Pirates 10-2 on Wednesday.
Pollock began the day in an 0-for-14 rut. He also made a diving catch in center field to rob Andrew McCutchen in the first inning.
Wade Miley (2-0) allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Jonathan Sanchez (0-2) was charged with nine runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings. The last two of those runs came after Sanchez left and reliever Chris Leroux walked two batters, on four pitches each, with the bases loaded in the Diamondbacks’ four-run fourth.
Pollock, a long shot to make the opening day roster before spring training injuries to Adam Eaton and Cody Ross, hit a three-run homer in the second and a solo shot leading off the fourth. He had two home runs in his 81 big league at-bats last season.
Pollock, moved up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order by manager Kirk Gibson, doubled down the left-field line with one out in the first, then took off trying to steal third. Sanchez threw wildly to third and Pollock scored. Martin Prado followed with a walk, advanced to third on Paul Goldschmidt’s single and scored when Miguel Montero grounded out. Alfredo Marte brought home the inning’s third run with a two-out double.
In the second, there was more trouble for Sanchez. Josh Wilson reached on a walk and Gerardo Parra singled before Pollock homered into the left-field seats to make it 6-0.
Miley retired 10 in a row after Starling Marte opened the game with a double. The string ended when McCutchen walked with one out in the fourth. Gaby Sanchez singled and Josh Harrison had an RBI single.
Pollock’s second homer made it 7-1. Sanchez walked Goldschmidt and gave up a one-out single to Montero Miguel, and manager Clint Hurdle had seen enough from his left-handed starter.
Leroux came on and promptly walked three straight. Another run scored on Miley’s groundout and Arizona led 10-1 through four innings.
NOTES
- Pollock is now the sixth former Irish player to homer twice in a single Major League Baseball game.
- John McHale accomplished the feat on May 30, 1947. He was also an Notre Dame football player and later a MLB General Manager and Team President (Montreal Expos) and Assistant Commissioner of Baseball.
- Cy Williams had 15 career two-homer games and one three-homer game. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs from 1912-1930. Williams’ last multiple home run game came on Sept. 5, 1927 vs. the Brooklyn Dodgers in Ebbets Field.
- Carl Yastrzemski had 27 career multi-homer games, including one three-homer game over his 23-year MLB Hall of Fame career for the Boston Red Sox (1961-83). His last two home run game was June 18, 1977 against the New York Yankees in Fenway Park.
- George Cutshaw of the Brooklyn Dodgers hit a pair of home runs off Earl Moore of the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4, 1913.
- Cap Anson had seven multi-HR games, including a three home run game. He stroked a pair of home runs on Oct. 10, 1897, for the Chicago Cubs against the St. Louis Cardinals. Anson played 27 years in the big leagues for four professional teams. He was instrumental in the founding of baseball at Notre Dame in 1866.
— ND —