The Jinx Goes On: Bucs Swept 5-3

Taylor Jungmann had just a spot of trouble in the first; Josh singled and stole second, but was left there. Frankie gave up a walk with one away, but came back to get a 4-6-3 DP to clean that up. With one gone in the second, Fran got plunked, Pedro singled and Jordy worked a walk. Frank whiffed and Gregory couldn't pick him up, lining out on an at 'em rope to left. The Brewers used a one out walk and two out single to put runners on the corners, but in between, Liriano struck out the side to keep it at zero.

1-2-3 for the Bucs in the third. Jungmann doubled to open the Brew Crew half (he's hitting over .300) and Ryan Braun drew a two-out walk, but Frank worked out of it. Pittsburgh was retired in order in the fourth. Frankie started by issuing his fourth walk, then Domingo Santana doubled off A-Ram's glove, the ball dying in left, to put Brewers on second and third. A sac fly made it 1-0 before he shut the gate.

Jordy doubled to open the fifth and Frankie's fly moved him to third. Gregory then walked and stole second. Josh's grounder tied the game. Hold the lead? Nah. Jonathan Lucroy singled with an out and was forced by Braun. He stole second and scored on Khris Davis' two bagger. Josh made a great effort and almost ran it down, too bad he doesn't have Starling's wheels.

Frankie didn't have it tonight (photo Gregory Bull/AP)

Jungmann tossed another clean frame in the sixth. Frankie walked Santana to start the Brewers off. Hernan Perez tripled him in, then he hung a 1-2 slider to Elian Herrera, who got enough to double him in off the wall in left; it took an umps review to determine it hit on, not above, the yellow line. It didn't take much review to yank Frank; Antonio Bastardo took over. Jean segura singled on the first pitch, but Josh came up firing and nailed Herrera at home. AB closed it out after that assist.

Will Smith came in for Jungmann in the seventh, and the fun began. Michael Morse tripled and Jordy doubled him home. JHK grabbed a bat, and his singled chased Mercer in. Two outs later, Starling had an infield knock, and that brought Tyler Thornburg to the hill. He K'ed A-Ram with a high heater. Radhames Liz toed the rubber and worked a clean frame.

Jeremy Jeffress came in for the eighth and gave up a two-out double to Morse; P-Flo came in to run for him. Jordy walked, but JHK grounded to third to end the frame. That was followed by Liz hanging a slider to Santana; he banged it yard to add an insurance run. That was followed by a single before a whiff and DP calmed the waters. Francisco Rodriguez took the mound and tucked the Bucs to bed.

Neither starter had much, and that's a lot more worrisome for the Bucs than the Brewers. Jungmann was lucky to last six; half his outs were hit on the nose. But since July, batters have been making Frankie throw strikes, and he's walked himself into holes. Tonight, the bottom of the order did him in; the 6-7-8 guys had six hits, four for extra bases. On to St. Louis; it'll be interesting to see if Clint values his glove lineup over his stick lineup in a series that the Bucs need. Jay Happ opens against Carlos Martinez.

• Jordy went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and two walks while Michael Morse also was two-fer, with a double and triple.
• The Pirate streak of 11 straight wins when Frankie starts was snapped.
• Cutch was out, resting a case of Achilles tightness tonight to ready himself for the Card series coming up next.
• Corey Hart will end his rehab but remain on the DL for the remainder of the season; he went home to Arizona.