PITTSBURGH -- Mike Easler is swinging a hot bat these days. The reason? He says he's waiting on the ball.
Easler known as the 'Hit Man' to his teammates, drove in three runs with a pair of doubles Tuesday night to spark the Pittsburgh Pirates to their third consecutive victory, an 8-4 decision over the Chicago Cubs.
Easler, a .300 hitter most of the season, said he believes his sudden surge is due to patience.
'I have to let the ball come to me,' he said. 'I'm a better hitter when I stay back and wait for the ball. Before, I was trying too hard.'
Easler also said base hits have changed his mood.
'Winning makes you feel a lot better,' he said. 'I knew this team would come on, and I know we'll keep trying to be in contention.'
Asked about general attitude of the team, Easler said 'everyone is starting to hit now. It's like an infection.'
Easler also had praise for Marvell Wynne, the rookie center fielder the Pirates obtained from the New York Mets.
'Marvell Wynne is doing a super job,' said Easler. 'He's fitting in well and has confidence in himself. He's picking up things from other guys on the team, and is defintely going to help us the rest of the way.'
Rick Rhoden went the distance for the Pirates for the third time this year. Rhoden, 4-7, scattered 11 hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead when Jody Davis hit his 11th home run of the season in the first inning.
The Pirates took a 3-1 lead in the third off loser Dickie Noles, 0-3, on an RBI single by Johnnie Ray and a two-run double by Jason Thompson. They added four runs in the fifth with an RBI single by Bill Madlock, a two-run double by Easler, and Richie Hebner's run-scoring double.
Pittsburgh scored its final run in the seventh off reliever Mike Proly when Thompson singled and scored on Easler's second double of the game. The Pirates had five doubles in all.
The Cubs scored in the eighth on an RBI grounder by Junior Kennedy and a run-scoring double by Bill Buckner, and once in the ninth on Keith Moreland's triple and an RBI single by Larry Bowa.
