Pirates Top Wakefield, Red Sox In Front Of Record Crowd

Lyle Overbay hit a three-run homer, starter Jeff Karstens helped himself with an RBI single and Pittsburgh beat Tim Wakefield and Boston, 6-4, on Saturday night to take the first two games of their weekend series.

Karstens (5-4) picked up the win in 6 2/3 innings and the Pirates bullpen held on behind him, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings to lock down the team's fourth straight win.

The Red Sox, who have dropped four in a row on the heels of a 14-2 stretch, had a runner at second base in the ninth after Dustin Pedroia doubled off the right field wall.

But Joel Hanrahan struck out Adrian Gonzalez after a competitive at-bat to earn his 22nd save.

The Pirates, after winning the opener of this three-game series 3-1 on Friday, survived solo homers from Gonzalez, Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury to treat the mostly-supportive crowd of 39,483 to a win. The crowd was the largest in the history of PNC Park.

"A big ballgame, a good win and another packed house," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "It's a great feeling right now. The guys are really embracing it and playing with a lot of energy."

Someone in the building thought the game was over before it actually was.

Pedroia's two-out drive in the ninth inning struck high off the wall despite Xavier Paul's jumping effort to catch it. For a moment, it looked like he had the ball and at least a couple of fireworks behind the stadium fired early.

As the potential tying run, Gonzalez fouled off four consecutive fastballs but couldn't hold up his swing on a biting Hanrahan breaking pitch, ending the game.

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