McDonald cruises as Pirates top Giants 3-1
PITTSBURGH — James McDonald scattered four hits over seven innings, Mike McKenry homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Saturday.
Neil Walker doubled twice and drove in a run while extending his hitting streak to 11 games and Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth to pick up his 23rd save.
McDonald (9-3) struck out 10 and walked none, winning his fourth straight start and lowering his sparkling ERA to 2.37.
The Pirates have won nine of 11 and are guaranteed at least a share of the NL Central lead through the All-Star break.
Ryan Vogelsong (7-4) couldn’t quite match McDonald, allowing three runs and eight hits in seven innings. Ryan Theriot and Gregor Blanco had two hits apiece for the Giants, who have dropped six of eight.
The middle game of the series between NL contenders featured a pair of All-Star snubs. Vogelsong began the day with the lowest ERA in the NL while McDonald was fourth. The numbers, however, weren’t good enough for either to earn an invitation for Tuesday night’s game in Kansas City.
No matter, McDonald will certainly welcome the break after developing into a workhorse.
The 27-year-old right-hander who only made it through seven innings five times in the first four years of his career has now done it eight times this season.
Not even the hottest day in PNC Park’s brief history flustered him. McDonald worked efficiently in the 97-degree heat and a 27-minute rain delay in the third inning did little to slow him down.
McDonald wasn’t bad with the bat either. Then again, he seems to love hitting against the Giants. He recorded the lone Pittsburgh hit off San Francisco ace Matt Cain in a 5-0 loss on April 13.
McDonald, who bats left-handed, led off the third with a walk and came all the way around from first on Walker’s long double to left-center field. McDonald later added a leadoff single in the fifth.
McKenry’s seventh homer of the season and fourth in his last 11 games gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead in the fourth and it was more than enough for McDonald.
Masterfully mixing his curveball with a fastball that rarely missed the strike zone, McDonald had little trouble with the Giants. He threw 77 of his 106 pitches for strikes and the Giants only managed to get the ball to the outfield five times.
McDonald’s only hiccup came in the sixth when Blanco singled with two outs, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a liner up the middle by Theriot, who hung in there after falling behind 0-2.
Pedro Alvarez provided some insurance in the sixth when he doubled home Andrew McCutchen.
McDonald quickly retired the side in order in the seventh before walking off to a loud ovation from the ninth sellout crowd of the season in a city that is quickly warming to the thought of Pittsburgh as actual contenders.
Jason Grilli struck out the side in the eighth before Hanrahan — who was knocked around a bit recently — took advantage of some brilliant defense by shortstop Clint Barmes as the Pirates moved back to 10 games above .500 (47-37).
NOTES: The Pirates are now 8-0 at home on Saturdays this season ... The series concludes on Sunday when Tim Lincecum (3-9, 6.09 ERA) faces Pittsburgh’s A.J. Burnett (9-2, 3.74).