layed them it was a competitive game, it could have gone either way. It wasn | Forum

SAN FRANCISCO -- The way things are going for the Pittsburgh Pirates these days, even when they dig themselves into a hole theres still hope. Archie Bradley Jersey .You start winning a few games, regardless of what the score is, if its early we know weve got a chance to make something happen, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen said.The Pirates made something happen against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.McCutchen had two hits, including a two-run homer, pinch-hitter Matt Joyce had a key two-run single, and Pittsburgh rallied from a four-run deficit to complete a three-game sweep of the Giants with a 6-5 victory.Thats us, McCutchen added. Thats what we do.The Pirates won their fourth straight game and sixth in seven. They remain a game behind St. Louis, which beat Houston 8-2, in the race for the NL wild card.I think this last week or two has really been fun for us, Joyce said. You can definitely tell guys are playing with that intensity and you can tell theyre hungry.McCutchens homer, his 17th, capped a six-run rally in the fifth inning that chased Giants starter Matt Cain (4-8).Cain had allowed one hit and had faced just one batter over the minimum with a 4-0 lead going into his disastrous fifth inning, when the Pirates scored six runs on four walks, three hits and a hit batsman.His first pitch to McCutchen was an 89 mph fastball over the middle of the plate, and the Pirates center fielder pounced.Pirates starter Ivan Nova allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He struck out five and allowed no walks. Nova, who won his first two starts since coming over in a deadline trade with the New York Yankees, was lifted for Joyce after Cain hit David Freese to start the fifth and then walked three straight batters.Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of his decision to pinch-hit Joyce wasnt a reflection on Novas performance.How do you know youre going to have another shot with the bases loaded? Hurdle asked. You take a shot when the bases are full and see what can play out.Nova is 2-0 with a 4.41 ERA in three starts with the Pirates. He hasnt allowed a walk in 16 1/3 innings with his new team. We like his stuff, Hurdle said. It was a tough day to be a National League pitcher. In the American League hes probably still pitching.Jeff Locke (9-7) pitched a scoreless fifth.Tony Watson survived a scoreless ninth after the Giants loaded the bases with no outs for his seventh save in eight tries since taking over Pittsburghs closers role.The Giants, who on Tuesday fell out of first place in the NL West for the first time in 97 days, lost their fourth straight. They fell to 9-21, the worst record in the majors since the All-Star break. They dropped 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, who beat Philadelphia on Wednesday night.Were taking some blows right now but its a tough club, its a resilient club, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.They came out and did some good things today. Were creating some good chances and opportunities.The Giants failed to capitalize when it counted most.After inducing Buster Posey to ground into a run-scoring double play, Watson got Brandon Crawford to fly out to shallow center and McCutchen made a game-ending running catch.Posey was 3 for 5 with an RBI double to lead the Giants. Crawford was 2 for 5 with a double, a triple and three RBI and Angel Pagan was 3 for 4 with a double as he extended his hitting streak to 15 games.BEST WESTERNThe Pirates are 25-8 on the road against the NL West over the last two seasons and are 22-11 against the division this season. This has been key for us the last couple of years, coming out here and taking care of business, McCutchen said.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow, on the DL since July 24 with right shoulder discomfort, threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and is showing progress, Hurdle said. ... C Chris Stewart, out since July 2 with knee discomfort, had his third scheduled rehab game with Double-A Altoona rained out on Tuesday.Giants: Bochy had Posey in the lineup for a day game after a night game after the All-Star catcher missed two consecutive games with lower back tightness. I dont want him going out there if theres any risk of making it worse, he says hes fine, Bochy said. ... 1B Brandon Belt dropped to the ground after fouling a pitch off his right knee in the fifth inning but stayed in the game.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole will pitch the series opener against the Marlins on Friday. Cole is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts since pitching his first career complete game against Seattle on July 27.Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner will pitch the series opener with the Mets on Thursday. The All-Star threw seven shutout innings against Baltimore in his most recent outing to snap a streak of five winless starts in which he was 0-3 and the Giants were 0-5. Curt Schilling Jersey . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Taijuan Walker Jersey .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-wilmer-flores-jersey/ . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Long-time Melbourne Victory lieutenant Leigh Broxham says the A-League powerhouse club will be doing it for their fans in Saturday nights Melbourne derby.Its been a year since Victory has tasted success in the Melbourne derby, and Broxham knows its the fans that are hurting the most.While its not quite the 1000 days that Western Sydney fans have been waiting for a Sydney derby success, a year is long enough.Players realise how much it means to the fans more and more as the games come ... its bragging rights, Broxham said on Wednesday morning.The more we play them and the way the derby develops, players know.If you cant get yourself up for this game, youre probably in the wrong game.The past two losses have been among the most painful for the navy blue side of Melbourne.A 4-1 smacking at Etihad Stadium in October - featuring that Tim Cahill wondergoal - announced Citys arrival as a title force and humiliated Victory.Novembers 2-0 defeat in the FFA Cup semi-final put paid to Victorys defence of that competition, and allowed City to lift the clubs first trophy.Either side of those matches this season, City has improved its consistency to sit second on the A-Leaggue table, ahead of Victory in third. Adam Jones Jersey. On the field, it certainly feels as though the derby has turned in Citys favour.Broxham isnt buying it.He says assessments that Victory have been usurped by their cross-town rivals are overblown, even if its City that have been celebrating recent results.Every time we lose to them or weve had a bad result someone will come out and say the same thing. Ive learned over our time to worry about ourselves, he said.The past two results (against City) this season, theyre still the freshest.We want to rectify those.The last time we played them it was a competitive game, it could have gone either way. It wasnt to be but we took some positives out of that.Helping Victorys prospects is the likely availability of Marco Rojas.The New Zealand winger missed Victorys 3-0 away day success over Western Sydney last Saturday but has trained well to date and is in line to feature from the bench at AAMI Park.City has its own selection issue, with guest player Cahill declaring himself an unlikely starter. ' ' '