The 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates season was highlighted by the exciting debut of future cornerstone Andrew McCutchen, who finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and provided a spark of elite talent for the franchise. Fans at PNC Park enjoyed several memorable moments, including a strong 11-10 start in April and impressive individual performances from All-Star Zach Duke and Freddy Sanchez, who recorded a historic six-hit game. The season also saw the emergence of Garrett Jones, whose powerful 21 home runs in just 82 games gave supporters much to cheer about and laid the groundwork for future competitive seasons.