NHL broadcasting legend Doc Emrick realized his lifelong dream Friday night, calling his first MLB game as the Pirates hosted the Cubs at PNC Park.
The experience was made even sweeter as Emrick's beloved Pirates thumped the Cubs 8-4.
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While Emrick did a fine job in the booth, his MLB Network broadcast partner, Bob Costas, had the line of the night. After Pirates shortstop Sean Rodriquez hammered a Jake Arrieta pitch into the left-field bleachers for a two-run homer in the second inning — just two batters after David Freese homered — Costas wondered aloud, "What sort of imposter is wearing the uniform of Jake Arrieta tonight?"
It might be the question Cubs fans and everyone else is wondering these days. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner, who looked unhittable last season and earlier this year, suddenly appears very ordinary. The Bucs rocked Arrieta for nine hits and six earned runs in six innings Friday night. He has a 4.85 ERA in his past seven starts dating to June 5.
And as Arrieta has struggled, so have the Cubs, who have lost 14 of their past 19 games.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have righted the ship after losing 20 of 26 games in late May and into June. They have now won eight of their past nine games and trail the Cubs in the NL Central by 7 1/2 games.
The Pirates trailed 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh but scored four runs to take command. Pinch-hitter Josh Bell — who just got called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday — singled in his first MLB at-bat and came around to score to help fuel the rally. And Andrew McCutchen, who has been putting up very un-Cutch like numbers this year, went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
In the end, it was sweet revenge for the Pirates, who had been 1-9 against Arrieta, including that painful loss to him in the NL wild-card game last year at PNC Park.
As Emrick said in the broadcast booth after the Pirates recorded the final out, "Raise the jolly roger … argh!"
Player of the Day
Stephen Strasburg ran his record to a perfect 12-0 as the Nationals beat the Mets 3-1. Strasburg went seven innings and struck out nine, giving up only one run on two hits. He's the first NL pitcher to start a season 12-0 since 1913. He joins teammate Max Scherzer as the only pitchers in the past 30 years to begin a season 12-0. Scherzer started the 2013 season with 13 straight victories while a member of the Tigers.
Highlight
Mike Napoli crushed a Chad Green pitch in the third inning for a 460-foot bomb in Cleveland's 10-2 win over the Yankees.
Three Things to know
— Scherzer will replace Strasburg on the National League All-Star roster, while Bartolo Colon will replace Madison Bumgarner. Strasburg pitched Friday while Bumgarner is slated to start Sunday against the Diamondbacks.
— Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp served a one-game suspension Friday for tossing his bat Thursday night and hitting home-plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the foot.
— J.A. Happ has won six straight starts and is the first Blue Jays pitcher with 12 wins before the All-Star break since Roy Halladay in 2006.
What's next
Cubs (52-34) at Pirates (45-42), 7:15 p.m. ET: These two clubs have become bitter rivals in recent years and face off in the second of a three-game series. Right-hander Chad Kuhl, who has a 4.09 ERA in two starts since making his MLB debut June 26, gets the ball for the Bucs. Lefty Jon Lester (9-4, 2.67 ERA) goes for the Cubs.
Nationals (52-36) at Mets (47-39), 7:15 p.m. ET: The Mets entered this four-game series Thursday four games behind the NL East-leading Nationals, and are treading water after splitting the first two games. Scherzer (9-6, 3.21) will take the mound for the Nats, while Logan Verrett (3-5, 4.01 ERA) is set to go for the Mets.