For the first three and a half frames, Edinson Volquez and Adam Wainwright were painting the corners, hitting the mitts and shutting down the batters. In the fourth, the middle of the Buc order struck. With an out, Cutch doubled to right. He stayed at second when a Pedro rope to The Notch was hauled in by Matt Holliday. But The Kid made it 1-0 when he lined a two bagger to right. It's good to see the middle of the order squared up; it's not easy banging three balls in a row off Wainwright.
It stayed that way until the top of the sixth, when a chopper, a weak grounder and a laser did in Volquez. The chopper belong to Wainwright, who bounced one up the middle with an out; when the pitcher leads off by reaching base, usually bad things happen. And they did. Matt Carpenter's slow roller to second could only net a forceout, though Clint Barme's' strong turn was just a half step behind the runner.
Jon Jay, who kills the Bucs, lined a two strike heater that didn't quite get in on the hands into right center for a triple to tie the game. Volquez walked Holliday intentionally to set up a Tony Watson-Matt Adams match. Edinson left to a nice hand by the crowd after going 5-2/3 frames, giving up a run on three hits, a walk and four K after 81 pitches. Watson did his job by whiffing Adams on three pitches.
The bunt set up and then killed the Pirates in their half. Starling Marte dropped one for a leadoff single, but JT fouled off a pair of sac tries, then whiffed into a strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP. *sigh*
The Tonys had a big seventh. Watson punched out two of three Cards he faced, and Sanchez doubled home Perdo, who had walked, with two outs when Wainwright tried to sneak a first-pitch heater past him. Mark the Shark took the hill for the eighth. Six pitches later, the Bucs were grabbing their bats. Pat Neshek climbed the hill, and held the Bucs to a two out bloop single by JT.
Jason Grilli took the ball, and showed too much respect to Jay, losing him on four pitches, none of which were particularly near the strike zone, with the Cards 3-4-5 hitter lined up next. He found the groove against Holliday, getting him to bounce into a two strike 1-6-3 DP to clean up. Matt Adams bounced one into the teeth of the shift, and the Pirates were 2-1 winners, with Tony Watson getting the victory.
It's too early to tell if the Bucs will regress pitching after a week, but a couple of things are starting to show. Pedro's patience at the plate has been pretty good; he's roped several balls with two strikes this year by laying off the chasers. Neil Walker's play at second is also up a notch; he gets better every year. If Volquez turns into a competent pitcher, that will take some of the sting out of Taillon's upcoming surgery. Oh, and the Card's outfield defense still can't compare to Pittsburgh's.
The Bucs are off tomorrow, and get back in the saddle Tuesday night against the Cubbies at Wrigley.
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