Pirates 10, Angels 9 (10)
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Pittsburgh Pirates scored three runs in the ninth to tie, then scored four more in the 10th to upend the Los Angeles Angels 10-9 Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium.
The victory gave the Pirates a three-game sweep of the series, while the Angels finished their longest homestand of the season 5-5.
The Angels made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the 10th, but Jason Grilli struck out Mike Trout to finish it with the potential tying and winning runs on base.
The Pirates had five players with two hits each, including Russell Martin, who didn't enter the game until the ninth inning. He had a key RBI double in the three-run ninth, and an RBI single in the four-run 10th.
Both teams played sloppy baseball, the Pirates making three errors and the Angels two, though the Angels might have made more if not for a couple plays that were generously ruled hits.
The biggest error of the game came in the 10th inning, with the game tied at 6. The Pirates had the bases loaded and one out when Travis Snider lined a single to left. But the ball got past J.B. Shuck and went to the left field wall, allowing all three baserunners to score.
The Angels appeared to have this one wrapped up, taking a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning and sending closer Ernesto Frieri to the mound. Frieri had retired 22 consecutive batters, but the streak ended when he walked Neil Walker to begin the inning. Frieri didn't make it out of the inning, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk. Andrew McCutchen, getting the day off before pinch hitting in the ninth, grounded into a fielder's choice to drive in one run. Martin followed with a pinch-hit RBI double, and Sterling Marte tied the game with a two-out RBI single.
It was Frieri's second blown save of the season in 19 opportunities, the first one coming April 29 in Oakland.
Angels starter Joe Blanton was denied his second win of the season despite pitching well. He wasn't sharp early, but he didn't get much help from his defense either. The Pirates scored two unearned runs in the third inning as a result of an error by second baseman Howie Kendrick.
But after an RBI infield single by Gaby Sanchez with two outs in the third, Blanton found a groove. He didn't allow a Pirate batter to reach base the rest of the way, retiring the next 14 consecutive hitters before being replaced with one out in the eighth.
Blanton gave up three runs (one earned) and six hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter while making 98 pitches.
Pirates starter Charlie Morton couldn't survive his defense, which made three errors in the game. Morton gave up six runs (three earned) and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out five.
Pedro Alvarez hit his 19th home run of the season for the Pirates, and has now homered in four consecutive games.
Mark Melancon (2-1) earned the victory over Kevin Jepsen (0-2).
