Worth noting

By Tom Singer

May 4, 2014

• The Bucs' 6-5 and 8-6 victories in the first two games of the Toronto series marked the first time they had won consecutive home games in which they allowed five or more runs since Aug. 28-30, 2006, when they scored three straight such victories over the Cubs.

• Perhaps it should not have been surprising for Jordy Mercer to break out of a season-long slump Saturday night with his tying, two-run double as a pinch-hitter: Pirates pinch-hitters lead the Majors with 12 RBIs, and Mercer has gone 2-for-4 in that role.

• Speaking of late-game rallies: When Pedro Alvarez and Marte struck ninth-inning homers for Friday night's walk-off win, it marked the first time the Bucs produced tying and winning homers in the same ninth inning since Aug. 25, 1997, when Joe Randa and Mark Smith teamed for a 4-3 win over the Dodgers at Three Rivers Stadium.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.