PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – In his first 17 games against the Pirates, it was a struggle for Andrew McCutchen. Thursday he broke through for his first homer as a visitor at PNC Park and then the game-winning hit in the ninth in a 3-2 Brewers win.
"I haven't done much against my old team it's probably the first time that I've done well against the Pirates," McCutchen said. "Not just here, but against them in general. It was good to be able to sleep in my own bed and get a W today."
In 73 plate appearances against the Pirates, McCutchen had eight hits before Thursday. The average of .136, the lowest against any team in his career with one home run and three RBI. He doubled his runs batted in over the span of three hours.
"It's a feel thing," McCutchen said of his bad stats against the Pirates. "I don't need to be told. I've faced them a handful of times and haven't had great success against them. I know this is my first time I had, for sure three hits."
McCutchen homered on the first pitch he would see to start the game and line a single off the glove of second baseman Josh VanMeter for a two-run single in the ninth off Chris Stratton.
"He had a good day today," said Pirates Manager Derek Shelton. "He's a good player. He's probably one of, if not, the best players in the last 30 years in this organization. I look at him as a Brewer now and have a special respect for him for what he did as a Pirate. He's still a really good player."
"It's nice to be home, to be at my house, sleeping in my bed," McCutchen said. "You make it as normal as you possibly can. It wasn't normal the first time, but after the first time the emotions kind of get out of the way. It becomes a little easier because you are playing against a team, I don't think I played against one person over there. After the first few games, it becomes pretty normal after that."
Bucs Notes
· Before McCutchen's hit, the Pirates had just taken the lead in the seventh inning on an infield single by Jack Suwinski and a Diego Castillo sacrifice fly and backed that up with a perfect inning by David Bednar in the eighth.
· Chris Stratton started the ninth gets a line-out to start the inning, then a pinch-hit, bunt single by Christian Yelich. Kolten Wong singled Yelich to second. Pinch-hitter Omar Narvaez singled to load the bases before McCutchen came through with two of his nine RBI this season.
· Brewers won their eighth straight against the Bucs, won 11 of last 13 at PNC Park
"I thought his change-up was really good," Shelton said of Quintana. "He was in control of the game. He was able to execute his fastball when he had to and used his changeup often. It was a really solid outing with eight right-handed hitters out there and he kept them off balance. He did a good job."
Up Next
The first West Coast trip of the season, a three-gamer in San Diego with RHP Zach Thompson (0-2, 10.80 ERA) looking to bounce back after giving up nine runs in two innings in Chicago. He will face Padres RHP Yu Darvish (1-1, 4.43 ERA). First pitch at 9:35p on 93.7 The Fan and the Pirates Radio Network.
