Most of this comes from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette coverage of the final home game of the season....
Zach Duke was impressive, pitching 8 2/3 exceptional innings of one run, four hits and a walk. He carried a shutout into the ninth, struck out five and, maybe most impressive, needed only 103 pitches -- 74 strikes -- to get that far.
All told, it matched the most lopsided victory of the year.
So, what could possibly ruin this?
With Duke one out away from his fourth complete game, manager John Russell emerged from the Pirates' dugout, prompting booing from some in the crowd of 16,696, though most stayed silent, presumably waiting to see if he would actually take the ball.
After a few seconds, he did.
The crowd booed as loudly as it had all year -- no small achievement -- but quickly changed to an equally loud standing ovation for Duke by the time the pitcher reached the foul line. Near the dugout, Duke tipped his cap.
The crowd then turned up the volume in its booing of Russell, as loud as any manager has heard it in these parts since the waning days of Jim Tracy.
Why take out Duke?
He was not on a pitch count, Russell said, but the manager offered two explanations:
1. He wanted Duke to get an ovation.
2. He wanted to give the replacement pitcher some work...(1 out?)
Zach handled it with his usual class.....but I loved his response to a question after the game....
when asked what he thought of being pulled 1 out away from a complete game win so that he could get an ovation.....
he replied....
"At that point in the game, I probably was going to get one anyway......"
you bet Zach.....Nobody suffered more this season from lack of run support....I know I am biased, as a Pirate fan and a fan of one of our own HSBBW family....
he deserves better....
