Phillies challenge critical in win over Pirates

PHILADELPHIA -- It took five innings Wednesday night for the Pirates to get on the scoreboard against Cole Hamels -- and only 34 seconds for their third run to be taken off the board.

And that replay review decision will live forever in the National League standings, so to speak, because it presented the Phillies with their margin of victory in the 3-2 win over the Bucs.

Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg's successful appeal of a fifth-inning play at first base resulted in a replay review reverting the Bucs' lead from 3-0 to 2-0.

Seconds after Andrew McCutchen had given the Bucs a 2-0 lead with a bases-loaded single with two outs in the fifth inning, Starling Marte appeared to add to it with an infield hit.

With Josh Harrison on third, Marte sent a dribbler to third baseman Cesar Hernandez, whose throw to first was ruled tardy by first-base umpire Dale Scott as Harrison scored.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle immediately braced for Sandberg's challenge.

"He's going to challenge a call when a run is involved like that," Hurdle reasoned.

"No, I didn't have a bad feeling. I just know they're going to get the call right," Hurdle added. "That's the nature of the game we're playing now. One way or another, they will get the call right."

The review immediately was significant: The Phillies rallied in the bottom of the fifth for three runs against lefty Francisco Liriano, taking a 3-2 lead that held up.