Pirates get clutch hitting in victory
PITTSBURGH — Freddy Sanchez insists he doesn't care where he hits in the Pittsburgh lineup.
The way the Pirates are rolling, he could be hitting leadoff for a while.
Sanchez singled home Brian Bixler with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Pirates a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
Atlanta dropped to 1-10 in one-run games the day after it beat San Diego 5-4 for its first victory of the season in those contests. The Braves were the only team in the major leagues without a one-run victory.
Sanchez went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and is 9-for-17 in four games since he moved from No. 2 to the leadoff spot. The Pirates have won all four games.
"I don't think it has anything to do with it," Sanchez said. "To me, it doesn't matter where I hit. After my first at-bat, it's not really a factor anymore. After first my at-bat, I tend to forget I'm hitting leadoff."
With one out in the ninth, Jose Bautista singled off Atlanta reliever Jeff Bennett (0-2). Bixler hit into a forceout at second, and Doug Mientkiewicz singled to put runners at first and third.
Mientkiewicz took second on fielder's indifference before Sanchez singled up the middle to give the Pirates the victory.
"That's a case where I didn't hit the ball hard," Sanchez said. "It just found a hole."
The second basemen's batting average has improved from .222 to .261 over the past four games. Pirates manager John Russell said it was only a matter of time before Sanchez, who won the 2006 National League batting title, would break out of his slump.
"The change of scenery might have made him more energetic," Russell said. "But he might have done the same thing in the No. 2 hole. We all know Freddy can hit."
John Grabow (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win. Grabow came in after Tyler Yates allowed the first two runners to reach base. After striking out Kelly Johnson, Grabow got Yunel Escobar to bounce into a double play.
"Obviously, you never want to come into a situation like that," said Grabow, who has a 1.02 ERA. "But that's our job out in the bullpen to pick each other up."
Brian McCann went 3-for-3 and Jeff Francoeur drove in two runs for Atlanta, which had won six straight.
Sanchez hit a two-out, two-run double off Tom Glavine in the seventh to put Pittsburgh in front 2-1. Bixler was thrown out at home on the play.
Francoeur tied it with a two-out RBI single in the eighth.
Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones, the major league's leading hitter with a .413 average, went 0-for-2 with two walks. Jones was held without a hit for the fourth time in 32 games this season.
Glavine allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He walked four and struck out three.
