Apr 21, 2002 4 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Three key regulars were injured, and only two starters had averages above .206. Surely, the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t find yet another way to keep their surprisingly good start going – or could they? The Pirates, enjoying their best April in 10 years, turned sloppy Philadelphia infield defense and Jack Wilson’s three-run double into five unearned runs and a six-run lead, then held on for a 6-5 victory Saturday over the slumping Phillies.

The Pirates won their fifth in a row to improve to 11-5, a big swing from the 6-10 start to their 100-loss season of a year ago.

“It’s a little early, but I hope we’re still saying in July that it’s too early,” said Mike Williams, who got his eighth save. “I’m glad we’re playing this way and not the other way. The Twins showed last year that it can happen, that s small-market team that’s not supposed to have a chance can win.”

Ron Villone (2-2), given a 6-0 lead, pitched five shutout innings before yielding Scott Rolen’s three-run homer in the sixth. Mike Fetters surrendered Mike Lieberthal’s two-run shot in the eighth, but Williams pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam in the ninth.

With regulars Aramis Ramirez, Jason Kendall and Pokey Reese out of the lineup with minor injuries, six of the nine Pittsburgh starters were hitting below .200.

But for the second straight game, the Pirates got significant production from the bottom of the order, with Wilson going 3-for-4, Keith Osik contributing a run-scoring single and Rob Mackowiak adding two hits.

“It’s somebody different every day, and that’s what happens when you’re winning,” Wilson said.

And the Pirates’ best offense was a Phillies’ defense that made two key errors in a five-run second inning against left-hander Terry Adams (0-2), who was 3-0 against Pittsburgh last season and 6-0 in his career.

“Our confidence is starting to build, but we’ve got to keep doing the things we’ve been doing to this point,” first baseman Kevin Young said. “We’re getting solid outings from our pitchers, the bullpen is doing its job and we’re playing good defense. Fortunately for us, it’s going our way early.”

It started going that way in the third when Abraham Nunez, subbing for the injured Reese, hit a grounder that shortstop Jimmy Rollins misplayed for an error. Brian Giles flied out for the second out, but Young ended an 0-for-19 slump with a single, and Armando Rios singled in a run.

Mackowiak kept the inning going with a single before Lieberthal, the Phillies catcher, threw away Osik’s slow roller in front of the plate for the second error of the inning, scoring Young.

Wilson, batting .179 when the game started, then hit a long drive over a leaping Pat Burrell in left field, clearing the bases and making it 5-0.

“I was thinking that last year, that ball would probably be caught, but it fell for us,” Wilson said. “That’s the kind of stuff we didn’t get last year.”

Phillies manager Larry Bowa found himself wondering why those grounders the Pirates turned into the big inning weren’t caught this season.

“Five unearned runs, both on routine plays; you’ve got to make those,” Bowa said. “They weren’t very difficult plays. They were very easy plays.

“You give up five unearned runs, you can’t win, you’re not supposed to win. You have no business even being close.”

Osik added an RBI single in the fifth against Adams, who gave up six runs in five innings, only one earned.

“We’re not doing the little things that helped us win last year,” Rolen said. “I don’t think we blew anybody off the map. But we did all the little things.”

Rolen’s shot was the 15th homer in 16 games against Pittsburgh, but the first with runners on base. Lieberthal’s drive off Fetters was the first homer allowed by the Pirates’ bullpen in 50 2-3 innings.

The Phillies, the NL’s surprise team of last season, slumped to 7-11 with their seventh loss in nine games, but Bowa doesn’t plan a team meeting.

“What can you say? They’re professionals,” Bowa said. “You have to execute. You’re getting paid to be a a big league player, and you’ve got to be accountable. It’s that simple.”

NOTES: The Pirates started 13-3 in 1992, their last division championship season. … The Pirates’ No. 6, 7 and 8 hitters – Mackowiak, Osik and Wilson – reached base seven times in the first seven innings. … The Phillies were 5-1 against the Pirates last season. … Young is 9-for-20 lifetime against Adams. … RF Bobby Abreu doubled Adrian Brown off first in the Pirates’ eighth, his 50th career outfield assist.