A year ago at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Russell Martin thrust his right arm triumphantly into the September night with the ball, proof he had held on for the final out in a play at the plate to secure the clubs first postseason berth in two decades. On Friday night, Martin again raised his right fist in the air — this time as he trotted around first base in the Pirates 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. With two on and the Pirates trailing 2-0 in the eighth inning Friday, Martin sent a 96 mph fastball from Brewers reliever Jonathan Broxton on a majestic arc, a shot that eventually fell into the right center field seats for a three-run homer. The 21st sellout crowd of the season went into a frenzy at PNC Park as the Pirates authored their 40th comeback win in dramatic fashion. “Ive never heard the stadium so loud,” Martin said. “It was special.” On a night the Pirates (83-70) won a fifth straight game for the first time this season, they also reduced their magic number to clinch a postseason berth to five. The win pushes the Brewers closer to the brink of elimination. The Brewers (79-75), in a second-half free fall, are 4½ games behind the Pirates for the second National League wild card. Martin can make a strong argument that he is the Pirates most valuable player. He has elite defensive skills to go along with his NL-best on-base percentage. The only skill Martin had been lacking until recently was hitting for power. But Martin has hit four home runs in September, and not one of his 11 home runs this season was more important than Fridays blast. The 37,974 fans at PNC Park hope it was not Martins last memorable moment at the stadium. Arguably the top free agent signing in Pirates history, he is a free agent after this season. John Holdzkom, who was pitching in the independent American Association three months ago, relieved in the eighth and pitched his seventh scoreless inning in his major league career and picked up his first career win. Mark Melancon pitched the ninth and secured his 31st save. For seven innings it appeared as if the Brewers were going to tighten the wild-card race. Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo was masterful. He allowed five hits in seven scoreless innings. Gallardo did not need much help, but he benefited from several borderline calls that were balls called as strikes, according to PITCHf/x pitch-tracking data. Starling Marte took a slow walk back to the dugout and had a few words for plate umpire Joe West in the sixth when West called a two-strike pitch that was slightly off the plate a strike. In the fourth inning, Martin disputed a slider that just missed the outside part of the plate but was called a third strike. Pirates starter Jeff Locke pitched well. He surrendered two runs and five hits in eight innings, an struck out three. Locke threw 82 pitches, 58 for strikes. But Locke doesnt have the stuff to get away with mistake pitches elevated over the plate. Locke allowed a double to Ryan Braun in the first on a hanging curve, and Braun scored on Jonathan Lucroy singles. Rickie Weeks homered on a fastball in the fifth. But it was Martin who has helped Locke so much with pitch sequencing and framing pitches, and it was Martin who helped Locke with one big swing Friday. Travis Sawchik is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 03:30:20 +0000
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