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PIRATES 3, INDIANS 2

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Updated Jun 26, 2009 12:30 PM ET
     
 
Nyjer Morgan wants the trademark on the term. "McCutch Clutch," the Pirates' left fielder crowed from his stall, near that of Andrew McCutchen, whose walkoff single brought a 3-2 victory against Cleveland last night at PNC Park. "And I want $100 every time Cutch comes up big." He might get rich. McCutchen, performing in all facets well beyond his 22 years, went 2 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs, extending his hitting streak to 13 and raising his totals through 20 games of Major League Baseball to a .330 average and 18 RBIs out of the leadoff spot. The key: In 21 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, he is batting .421 -- 8 for 19 -- with two walks and 14 RBIs. Clutch walks? Sure, on this night. Forget the walkoff for a moment, even though it was the Pirates' first this season, even though it brought the biggest celebration of the summer here for the 30,120 on hand. Focus, instead, on the seventh inning ... The Pirates trailed, 2-1, and Cleveland's Cy Young winner, Cliff Lee, was getting groundouts at will. But bases were loaded with two outs, and it appeared this might be the crack in the wall when McCutchen -- who doubled and scored on Freddy Sanchez's sacrifice fly the previous inning -- stepped to the plate. Nerves? "You just have to stay within yourself, don't try and do too much," McCutchen recalled. "I take a lot of deep breathes between every at-bat so I can calm down and get ready. Just trust my hands, trust my instincts." Lee went right at him for an 0-2 count. Next, he tried every pitch in his arsenal, a fastball, curve, change, even a slider in the dirt to run the count full. On the eighth pitch, a high fastball, he walked and the score was tied. "Even though I was behind 0-2, you still have to stick within the strike zone," McCutchen said. "You protect a little more but, at the same time, you know he's going to throw you some balls that aren't close to the zone." "I tried to picture myself at Cutch's age, having an at-bat like that against a Cy Young winner," shortstop Jack Wilson said. "Are you kidding me?" There would be more ... Wilson and Hinske opened the ninth with singles off fresh reliever Matt Herges, Wilson's capping a 3-for-3 night. With McCutchen again at the plate at a pivotal point, Wilson aggressively stole third when Cleveland catcher Kelly Shoppach momentarily froze upon the sight of his breaking. Herges got ahead, 1-2, but left a fastball up and over, and McCutchen reached to pull it down the left-field line. He had no sooner touched first base than he was given a bear hug by Hinske, a headlock by Sanchez and, while doing a live TV interview later, shaving cream shoved into his dreadlocks by closer Matt Capps. "I tell you, he's an impressive-looking young player," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "Obviously, he has the tools. But what catches my eye is his tempo at home plate. He doesn't let it speed up on him. He's in control of his body. Sometimes, athletes such as that let their bodies speed up. I was really impressed."
Tagged: Andrew McCutchen, Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, Pirates, Indians, Cliff Lee

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