Bucs Put It Together In 7-0 Win

One thing that we'll say about the Bucs is that the guys are resilient. No matter how brutal the loss - and yesterday's loss was brutal - they come back the next day and give nine innings worth of effort.

This afternoon, vet Chris Carpenter was on the hill against Pirate puppy Brad Lincoln. And at least today, youth was served as the Bucs chased Carpenter while Lincoln was strong in a 7-0 Pittsburgh win.

It was a pitching duel over three innings, with the Bucs clinging to a 1-0 lead. Josh Harrison brought home Garrett Jones, who had doubled, in the second while Lincoln faced just nine hitters, needing only 30 pitches to shut down the Redbirds.

The Pirates batted around in the fourth to take charge of the game. McCutch led off with a double, and an out later, Walker walked. Jones doubled in McCutch, and Harrison ripped an 0-2 single to bring in a pair. He came in on a two out double by Lincoln, and the Bucs had a 5-0 lead.

Pittsburgh added on in the fifth when The Pittsburgh Kid drilled his eleventh homer of the year. Lincoln had to dodge bullets in the fifth and sixth, but dodge them he did.

He left a pair on in the fifth, and his lead off walk as a batter in the sixth turned into the Pirates' seventh run when McCutch brought him home with a two out knock. In the bottom half, Bad Brad recorded the first two outs easily before the middle of the order came to life. Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday singled, followed by a walk to Lance Berkman. Lincoln reached back and K'ed Skip Schumaker with a curve.

That would be the day for Lincoln. He went six frames, giving up six hits with four whiffs and a walk, throwing 88 pitches. He had to grind out the last two frames, but overall Bad Brad threw strikes instead of nibbling and worked the inside half of the plate to notch his first win of the 2011 season.

The final three frames played out quietly, with D-Mac and Chris Resop combining for three innings of one hit ball to bring the Bucs home a winner.

Harrison and Jones had three knocks each, and McCutch added a pair. The Bucs try to earn a split tomorrow when Jeff Karstens takes on Kyle Lohse.

• Today's shutout was the Pirate staff's eleventh of the year, the most put together in a season since 2004.
• Evan Meek is continuing his rehab at Indy now, and is on track to rejoin the club in September.
• Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects has an end-of-the-year report on Luis Heredia, the Bucs' 16 year old Latino signee.