Tigers Wallop Buccos 8-2

Anibal Sanchez had an easy inning. Cutch reached on an error, and he was tossed out stealing, which is becoming a Bucco MO. Juan Nicasio didn't have such a great start. He hung a slider to Justin Upton who put it in orbit for a solo shot. A pair of walks led to another run on a JD Martinez knock, abetted by a weak throw home by Starling with Miggy running. That woke Juan up; he whiffed the next pair.

Pittsburgh stranded a pair in the second, thanks to a nice stop by Jose Iglesias to save a run. Don't ask about the other half; a walk, wild pitch, error, couple of singles, and it was 4-0 after two. The first two Bucs reached in the third, but a long fly out and a Freese DP iced the frame. Juan walked a couple more, but kept them on the bases, tho he's at 94! pitches after three. The Bucs were done 1-2-3 and so was Juan, who went three innings, giving up four runs on six hits, five walks, and four K. Kyle Lobstein came in to face his former mateys. He gave up a walk and two singles, but a DP bailed him out.

At least Starling had something to smile about with a HR & 2B (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

The Pirates went down in order in the fifth; Lobster returned the favor. The Bucs struck with two outs in the sixth. David Freese beat out a bleeder to third, then Starling jumped a center cut 90 MPH four seamer and launched it deep into the seats. Sanchez walked Fran on his 107th pitch and in came ol' Bucco Justin Wilson to stop the bleeding. But Lobstein couldn't keep it at two. He was drilled by the top of the order; two singles, an out, and two doubles made it 7-2 before the third out was rung up.

Drew VerHagen tucked the Bucs away; Cory Luebke toed the rubber and watched Ian Kinsler tee off on a heater to make it 8-2. Buck Farmer took the ball for Detroit and hung another zero on the Bucs; ditto for Cory with Motown. Francisco Rodriguez came on the bolt the door, and he did. The two clubs hop a jet and head to Pittsburgh for a rematch tomorrow night.

The Pirates actually hit the ball OK today, without much luck. Motown made a couple of nice plays, but it was mostly just a frustrating afternoon of hitting 'em where they were.

The pitching was abysmal, and you gotta wonder why after the the Bucs cut the lead, Clint tried to get one more inning out of Lobstein, especially against the top of a RH-loaded lineup. Our guess is as the bullpen finished the day with 30 innings worked in the first eight matches, with five more games before a break, the skipper was hoping to save some wear on the back end. As for Juan, we're hoping that he fell victim of a mechanical malfunction that Uncle Ray can straighten out; his erratic velocity and lack of location suggests that may have been today's issue.

• Starling Marte went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double.
• You know Gregory Polanco is on fire - first a new contract, and now Alex Chamberlain of Fangraphs gives him some fantasy baseball love.
• Both clubs were 0-for-1 stealing.
• Adam Wainwright remains the only starter to finish six innings against the Bucs this season (and six frames is all he got).