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Pirates solve Melancon, walk off in 11 on Stallings’ hit
- Updated: September 24, 2016
PITTSBURGH — With the champagne chilling and their clubhouse prepared for a celebration, the Nationals couldn’t seal the deal Friday night at PNC Park. About an hour after the Mets put the Nats’ division-clinching party on hold in New York, the Pirates kept Washington from officially punching its ticket to the postseason. The Bucs cracked Mark Melancon, their former closer, then little-used September callup Jacob Stallings slapped a pinch-hit, walk-off single to left field in the 11th inning to cap a 6-5 comeback win over the Nats.
Stallings was the last man on the Pirates’ bench, the 25th different Pittsburgh player used in the four-hour, 36-minute marathon. He had done the math earlier in the 11th inning, coming to the conclusion that the only way he’d hit — the only way he’d see a big league field for the first time since June 21 — was with the bases loaded and two outs. That situation presented itself against Yusmeiro Petit, and Stallings delivered his second Major League hit over Anthony Rendon’s head.
“It was really cool,” Stallings said. “The biggest disappointment from the first time I was up was I wasn’t able to help them win a game. This time, helped them win, and obviously it’s a big win for us, trying to make the playoffs.”
To officially secure their third National League East championship in five years on Friday, the Nationals had to beat the Pirates and the Mets had to lose. Even without clinching the division, the Nationals could have guaranteed themselves a spot in the postseason and at least a tie for the NL East title by beating the Pirates. Neither outcome played out for the Nats, so they will have to wait until at least Saturday — a Washington win and a New York loss would do it — to officially bring home their third NL East crown in the last five years.
By the time Melancon gave up a one-run lead in the ninth inning against his former team, the Mets had beaten the Phillies, 10-5. So the pallet full of adult beverages carted into PNC Park’s visiting clubhouse went unopened.
“You still got to win the game,” Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez said. “It’s unfortunate the situation that happened tonight, but turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Pirates won for the eighth time in their last 11 games, keeping their fading postseason hopes at least mathematically alive. Rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon gave up three early runs but settled down after that, striking out seven in five innings. But Wilson Ramos hit a go-ahead solo homer off Antonio Bastardo in a two-run sixth.
Adam Frazier’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly pulled the Bucs within a run. Then the Bucs rallied against Melancon, with Sean Rodriguez — one of the Majors’ hottest hitters the last two weeks — delivering the game-tying blow, a line-drive double that sailed over Trea Turner’s head in center field and brought home pinch-runner Pedro Florimon.
“I know what Mark’s throwing like any other pitcher,” Rodriguez said. …
