Well, game time rolled around before the rain clouds did, and it started in the usual way - Emilio Bonifacio singled. Two outs later, he stole second and score when the Pirate shift bit them and Anthony Rizzo punched a single through the left side to make it 1-0. The Bucs squared up pretty well against Jason Hammels, but only Travis Snider's ball found grass.
In the second, leadoff man Mike Olt hit his first MLB homer off a 3-2 fastball. In the third, Chi-Town plated again when Bonafacio led off with a double (please hose him down next at bat, grounds crew) and Starlin Castro blooped a single to right. An ensuing DP ball helped clean up things, but allowed the Cubs to take a 3-0 lead. The following frames went by quietly.
Wandy went six innings, giving up three runs on five hits with a walk and five whiffs after 93 offerings. Not his best job, but certainly respectable enough for a guy that hasn't taken the hill in anger since June 6th. Edinson Volquez made his debut as a Bucco. He's slated to be Sunday's starter, but don't read anything into this appearance - it's his day to throw on the side. He got through the frame without difficulty.
The Bucs cashed in at long last in the seventh as the drizzle began. With two outs, The Kid walked, chasing Hammel. Gaby doubled, and Tony Sanchez rolled a slider up the middle to make it a 3-2 game. Volquez worked another scoreless frame, and went two innings, giving up a hit and fanning a pair, using 28 pitches. He should still good to go Sunday.
JT opened the eighth with a single. Marte struck out trying to bunt him to second, fouling off a two-strike attempt. Josh Harrison hit for Edinson, and he K'ed, watching two strikes sail by before waving at the third. Cutch walked after those wasted at-bats, setting up Pedro, who has hit the ball well tho without any luck today. Ron Renteria waved in RHP Brian Schlitter to face him; he used up lefty Wesley Wright last night, but we expected James Russell in this spot. No drama; Pedro tapped back to the mound and it remained 3-2.
Bryan Morris, the only guy not to work last night, took the hill in the ninth. The rain was starting to come down steadily now, but he worked a quiet inning. Pedro Strop came looking for the save. The Kid banged his first pitch into right for a single. Clint had Gaby bunt; after a foul, he popped out to the pitcher (good thing, as he barely jogged to first and would have been easily doubled up if the ball hit the ground). Tony Sanchez lined a shot back to the box; Strop gloved it and caught Walker.
The Bucs hit some balls well off Hammel, but PNC is notorious for balls not carrying early in the year and under these conditions, and they didn't; a couple more line drives rather than flies would have been nice. We're not fans of bunting, but after six weeks in Florida, the Pirates could sure do a better job of it.
But Wandy finished strong and Volquez looked good, and pitching will be the name of this season. So that's the positive from today's affair.
- The Cubs' Emilio Bonifacio is the third player since 1900 with 11 hits in his first three games. The others were the Brewers' Cecil Cooper (1982) and the Red Sox's Ira Flagstead (1926).
- The Bucs had 20 hits in 32 innings; three went for extra bases. The Buc bullpen had to work 14 IP this series, but a day off and today's Volquez/Morris combo should have all hands on deck for the upcoming Cardinal series this weekend.
- The runs scored off Wandy were the first a Pirate starter had surrendered this season.
- 11,418 fans braved the clouds to attend the getaway game.
- The guy that made a dash across the outfield last night is not only facing trespassing fines, but is commemorated in a Deadspin story by Barry Petcheski about a "shirtless idiot."
No comments:
Post a Comment