PHILADELPHIA _ The visitor's bullpen in Citizens Bank Park is elevated, just below the concourse in center field, giving Juan Nicasio a bird's-eye view of the mess he was walking into as he descended the steps.
Jameson Taillon's five blue-collar innings and an Andrew McCutchen homer resulted in a two-run lead in the seventh inning that Tony Watson was asked to protect. He couldn't. Nicasio entered with the bases loaded and one out. Failure to escape could have resulted in a blown lead, possibly a fifth consecutive loss to a last-place team and a record 10 games worse than .500.
Nicasio recorded two huge outs with a double play. McCutchen added another homer for good measure, and the Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0, at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday.
After Daniel Hudson pitched a perfect sixth inning, Watson faced the bottom of the order in the seventh and walked Andrew Knapp. Pinch-hitter Cameron Perkins reached on a well-placed ground-ball single to the left side, and at this point head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk visited the mound to check on Watson.
The television broadcast showed blood on the back of Watson's left thumb. He remained in the game to face Ty Kelly, who dropped a perfect bunt down the third-base line. Watson fielded it and threw him out (though the Pirates had to challenge the play to get the out call) but he still had to deal with two men in scoring position.
After a walk to Galvis, Watson was done. Nicasio got Aaron Altherr to ground into a 6-4-3 double play and preserve the lead. He pitched 12/3 scoreless innings and Felipe Rivero saved his fourth save.
The Pirates had a 1-0 lead when McCutchen led off the sixth. Phillies starter Mark Leiter Jr.'s first two pitches to buzzed the tower. He missed up and in with a curveball, then again with a changeup. He missed again with his third pitch, but this time he missed over the inside part of the plate. McCutchen crushed it out to left field, and the Pirates doubled their slim lead.
Ricardo Pinto did the same thing. He missed up and over the inside part of the plate to McCutchen in the eighth and McCutchen knocked it off the facing of the second deck in left.
Taillon pitched five scoreless innings but had to roll up his sleeves to get it done. He allowed at least one runner in scoring position in every inning and three times stranded a runner at third. He bailed himself out with a curveball he had locked in right out of the gate, a pitch that helped him set a new career high with nine strikeouts.
In five starts since coming off the disabled list June 12, Taillon has a 1.98 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings.
