Tuesday, September 2, 2008

See You In September

The Cubs and Brew Crew are in the rear view mirror, and the dog days of August are done. Good riddance, we say.

The Bucs welcomed ten new players and September with a 3-2 victory over the equally inept Reds, ending a ten game drought for Pittsburgh. Ian Snell went six innings, giving up one earned run and striking out five while winning for the second time in three starts.

The Bucs rode solo shots by Brandon Moss and Andy LaRoche and a leadoff walk to Snell that turned into a run to the victory. Moss had the first three hit game of his young career.

The pitching wasn't all that outstanding - both teams hacked away and the wind was blowing in, ala Wrigley - but it suited the fly ball hurlers Snell and Cincy's Aaron Harang just fine.

There were several balls held up at the wall, one leading to a great snag by the Red's Corey Patterson, reaching over the fence at the 400' mark to rob Adam LaRoche of a four bagger. The two teams combined for just a dozen ground ball outs.

Luis Cruz started at short, and fittingly enough, didn't have a ball hit to him. He was lost more than once, and his rep of good hit, bad glove, looks accurate enough. But we're willing to let the butterflies settle (and actually watch him field a ball or two) before calling the jury in on his play.

Shine on, shine on, harvest moon...

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