Bucs Stumble 3-2

We'll make this short and sweet: After posting how fundamentally sound the Bucs were, our desert tonight is crow pie as the Bucs lost to the Phils 3-2. We could start with a botched rundown or a runner getting thrown out by a mile trying to stretch a hit, but they ended up having no impact on the game. But...

AJ didn't have his command tonight, though he did pick up seven more K in five IP; makes us wonder if he's maybe getting a little caught up in his strikeout streak (or just had a bad day, take your pick). The first run scored when he walked the pitcher, rookie Jonathan Pettibone, who made it to third and scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth, the Phils loaded the bases with no one away. AJ froze them for two outs, then plunked Jimmy Rollin to force home another run.

Still, after five frames, it was 2-2 as Pedro and Russell Martin mashed solo shots off Pettibone. The sixth was the deciding frame. Jared Hughes got the first two outs with the 8-9 hitters coming up. He walked Eric Kratz, who is hitting .203. An weak infield single and flare to right made it 3-2, and that's how it ended. So two walks scored and two runs came in on a wild pitch & HBP.

The Bucs stranded a leadoff double by Starling Marte in the first and a one out double in the ninth by Garrett Jones. Both times, with a runner in scoring position, Buccos (Cutch and Pedro) looked at a third strike fastball. Any wonder that the Bucs were 0-for-8 with RISP?

Jeff Locke takes on Cole Hamels tomorrow night. There no TV - it's another Bucs and Pucks night - so fire up the electronic device of your choice or go old school and tune in by radio.

• Stuff you don't see much: Pedro turned a DP tonight. He played up the middle on a shift against Ryan Howard and was the pivot on a 6-5-3 DP.
• This was the first time this season that the Pirates didn't draw a walk.
• Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a nice piece on Jason Grilli, who the Pirates picked up from the Philly system.
• Tony Sanchez smacked a two out, two run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Indy a 5-4 win.
• Jameson Taillon had a roiugh day at the shop. His line was five innings, five runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. The Curve lost 10-6