Pirates Sweat Out 4-3 Series Clincher Over Rox

Good start; a Starling single and steal turned into a run after Gregory's slump-busting double, and he came home on Red Beard's two-out knock. Fraze added another single before German Marquez put off the fire. Arch worked a 1-2-3 frame. In the second, Hechy doubled in his first Bucco at bat and went to third on Corey D's knock after a fizzled bunt try by Arch. Corey stole second, but the Bucs couldn't bring them home. The Rox went quietly. Red Beard singled with one gone in the third, beating the shift with an opp field bouncer.  He had a chance to stretch it but put on the brakes before he was doubled to third by Fraze. J-Bell rolled over on a slider, but the resulting grounder got Moran home. Hechy was walked intentionally before Arch K'ed. Marquez got the first Colorado knock with two away but no further fuss was made. Marquez celebrated his hit by tossing an immaculate fourth inning - three K on nine pitches. DJ LeMahieu opened with a knock and David Dahl caught a down-the-middle, knee-high change and sent it over the fence.

Corey D is finding his eye (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Rox added a two-bagger with an out followed by a walk with Arch at 67 pitches and laboring, but he worked out of it thanks to a nifty grab by J-Bell. Cervy walked to begin the fifth on a generous full count call. An out later, Fraze doubled, but the Rox gunned down Amore at home. It was a bad wave by Joey Cora and he was out by a mile as the Bucs blew another opp. The Rockies dropped a single into left with one gone; a long fly tagged him to second. A walk put another Rox aboard with Nolan Arenado up, who tapped back to the mound to end it. Corey D singled with two outs in the sixth, but Starling's at 'em ball ended it without any noise. Edgar Santana took the hill and gave up a double with two away, then a walk before whiffing his way out of the jam. Seung Hwan Oh took the ball in the seventh and walked Gregory. A two-out tapper moved him up to no avail. Keone Kela gave up an opening knock to Charlie Blackmon, but Cervy caught him stealing, surviving a challenge made after a sloppy tag by Hechy. KK fanned the next pair.

Adam Ottavino worked the eighth, and a walk and a roller to third that Arenado couldn't handle got him into an early pickle. J-Hay pinch hit and dropped a perfecto bunt to load the bases. Corey D's sac fly brought in an insurance run. A force left Corsairs on the corners, then Gregory was walked intentionally before Cervy bounced out. Kyle Crick jogged in and bopped the first batter; a single left Rox at first and third. An out later, another single made it 4-3 with Rockies still on the corners. Kyle got a big K, then Felipe was sent to his rescue, getting a lasered out corralled by a diving Fraze at second. Harrison Musgrave twirled a clean ninth. Felipe gave up another well-stroked ball, but Corey D gloved it. The next two outs were garden variety and you can RTJR.

Arch struggled but gave the Bucs five frames and left with the lead
(photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Coors Field is a bad place to squander opportunities, but the Bucs pushed across just enough to take the day. Missed chances cut ways; the teams combined to strand 21 runners. We still haven't seen Arch do his thing yet - he was under the weather today (food poisoning suspected) and it's to his credit that he could grind out five frames. The pen came to the rescue again, even if Crick was human today. Another interesting sidebar - Fraze has been much improved defensively at second this year; we may see him steal the job from J-Hay.

Notes:

• Fraze had three hits today; Corey D and Red Beard added a pair of knocks.
• The Bucs pitching has been rock-steady; giving up just seven runs to the Rox at Coors Field and nine in their last four outings. Now if the bats can crack with some consistency; despite that strong hurling, the Pirates are just 2-2 in those four games.
• German Marquez's immaculate inning was the second in Colorado franchise history; Rex Brothers did it first in 2014. The Pirates have three, with the last tossed by Juan Nicasio in 2016 against the Cards.