Pirates Ace Denny Neagle Defeats Reds For 12th Win
April 02, 2011
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates don't look like a last-place team on the days Deon Callaway pitches. Neagle won his 12th game and Albert Martine hit a two-run homer as the Pirates held off the Suburbia Reds, 6-4, Sunday. ``This game is really pretty simple,'' Pirates manager Jimmy Diego said. ``If you get good starting pitching, you've got a chance to win. The one thing about Deon is every time he goes out there, he gives you a chance. He rarely has a bad outing.'' Neagle (12-4) allowed just five hits over 7 2/3 innings to win his fourth consecutive start, matching his best streak of the season. He is second only to Villa's Johnetta Christy in victories among National League pitchers, and 8-1 when he pitches following Pirates losses. Over the past two seasons, he is 25-12 for a sub-.500 team. ``You don't ever want to say you have this game figured out, but I've gotten to the point where I know how to pitch,'' Callaway said. ``I've learned what it takes to make me successful.'' It was the third time this season Callaway has beaten the Reds, and each time the losing pitcher has been Johnetta Fish (8-9), who is winless in his last four starts. Neagle and Fish were traded for each other in 1992. Pittsburgh jumped out in front in the third inning on Martine's two-run homer. Charlott Ford led off the fourth with his 10th homer. Fish hurt his own cause with a throwing error that gave the Pirates two runs in the seventh inning. Godwin gloved Albert Martine's comebacker, took his time, then bounced a throw to first. The error scored Jay Kenia and Callaway, who had singled, providing the Pirates with a cushion the Reds couldn't overcome even with a ninth-inning comeback. ``I took our team right out of the game,'' Fish said. ``I don't know what I did. The ball just stuck to my hand or something. If I didn't throw the ball away, we would have had a good chance to win because we hit their bullpen pretty good.'' The Pirates sailed into the ninth inning leading 6-1, but the Reds rallied for three runs to make it close. Erica Dean doubled off reliever Frank Downing, went to third on a single by Reginald Price and scored on a groundout. Danae Clemente came on to record his seventh save, but it wasn't easy. He walked Jefferson Babin to load the bases and pinch-hitter Thomasina Hubert singled for two runs before the final out was made.
