LA Chases Clay & Ty, Hold Off Bucs 6-4 To Complete the Sweep

Rich Hill had no trouble with the Pirates in the first. Clay Holmes walked the first two batters, not spraying but just missing the corners. He took care of the next two hitters before Yasmani Grandal got a hung two-strike curve and singled home a run. Another free pass loaded 'em up, but he froze Enrique Hernandez on a 3-2 curve. Still, it came at the cost of 35 pitches, and just 15 strikes. It was 1-2-3 for the Pirates in the second, although they did put a charge into a couple of balls. It was a clean frame for Clay. Jordy doubled and Mad Max walked to open the third. Clay laid down a bad bunt for a force at third and Austin Meadows fanned, but Starling came through, spanking a 3-2 curve for a two-run two-bagger. The lead was very short lived. Four of the first five Trolley Dodgers rang up hits, with a wild pitch thrown in, before Clint pulled the plug and brought in Ric Rod to put out the fire with LA up 4-2. The Pirates went down without a peep in the fourth.

Clay didn't get a gold star today (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

The Dodgers opened with a bunt single by Hill; a passed ball followed by a wild pitch moved him to third. No damage done, though, as the pitcher tried to tag on a fly to center; Starling gunned him down easily despite a headfirst slide to end the inning. J-Bell and Max singled with an out in the fifth, but AM's liner was an at 'em ball (& almost a DP), then Gregory bounced out. Tyler Glasnow joined the show and plunked Justin Turner in the shoulder; he's OK as he stole second two pitches later. That was followed by two walks; he's getting squeezed some, too. A rap up the middle brought home two more runs and Edgar Santana. He got a break; a bullet to Red Beard was turned into a DP. An infield single followed before the third out. Old bud Daniel Hudson tossed the ball in sixth. Eli singled with an out and brought Scott Alexander to the hill; Huddy got bounced for beefing to the first base ump. It took one pitch to get Freeser to hit into a 6-4-3 DP. The Dodgers banged a two-out knock off Moran's mitt for their action.

Jordy worked a walk in the seventh and never moved off first. Kyle Crick drew the short straw and twirled a quiet frame. Ed Paredes was called on in the eighth and holy rally cap, a Starling single and Gregory blast with one gone made it 6-4. Kenley Jansen was waved in. He gave up a knock to Freeser between a whiff and bouncer. Josh Smoker made his Bucco return and put up a zero on a K, walk, and a couple of routine outs. Jordy whiffed to open the ninth, looking at strikes one and three. Corey D kept the pulse beating faintly with a two-out single, but AM fanned chasing a full-count cutter.

Nor did Ty (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Clay and Ty had a chance to impress and both blew it; they were charged with all six runs and combined to walk five, hit one, toss a wild pitch and balk. The recap noted they were squeezed, but that had as much to do with missing the catcher's target as with ornery umpiring (and may help explain the catchers framing decline). Don't know if it's an evaluation or developmental problem, but all the Bucs from the pipeline have pretty much underachieved, especially but not exclusively the pitchers. The organization needs to take a good look at the man in the mirror and straighten out its act.

Notes:

• Starling had two hits while Jordy and Mad Max each collected a knock and a walk.
• The Dodgers outscored the Pirates 31-8 in the brooming. It was the first time the Dodgers have totaled 30+ runs with 20+ extra-base hits in a three-game series since 1950, when the Brooklyn Dodgers had 47 runs and 22 extra-base hits...against the Pirates, sheesh, per Stats by Stats. The Bucs are now 40-46 (the same record after 86 games last year) and just 2-1/2 games ahead of the Reds in the battle for the cellar.
• Fran Cervelli (DL - concussion) was cleared for full baseball activities. He worked out with Altoona and could start a rehab stint this weekend.
• Other injury notes: Chad Kuhl is still feeling pain in his arm and isn't throwing. The docs are going to try rest as the first treatment, but sounds like they're still unsure of the extent of the injury. Jung-Ho Kang is in a cast for his left wrist for a soft-tissue injury and will take 10 days off from any gripping or throwing activities.