Bucs Broomed By Brewers 4-2

Gregory walked in an otherwise quiet first frame for Matt Garza. Frankie didn't have such luck. Hernan Perez singled with two outs, stole second and didn't stop until he touched home when Eric Fryer's throw was deflected into right center off Josh. Cutch's toss home beat the runner but short hopped its way past the catcher. The Pirates can't do anything right in this yard. That was followed by a walk, single and walk before Frankie got a whiff to restore some sanity.

Freeser opened the second with a knock to no avail. Garza is leaving balls in the zone to be hit, but the Bucs aren't. Keon Broxton led off with a homer. Broxton was hitting .135 coming into the series; he's 4-for-7 w/2B, 3B, HR, two walks & SB so far. With two out and two strikes in the third, Garza hung a hook to Gregory and he sent it over the fence to cut the lead to one. Milwaukee small-balled the Bucs; a bunt single, walk and blooper loaded the bases with no outs, but Frankie served a 6-4-3 DP, allowing a run to score but squashing a big inning. The fourth was quiet. The Bucs scored in the fifth on a Jordy knock, error and grounder; the Brewers answered with a Chris Carter dinger.

Gregory had a homer and walk today (photo Charles Kirbey/Getty)

The sixth and seventh were zippo frames. Corey Knebel and Carlos Torres handled the Bucs. Juan Nicasio got into a second and third with one out pickle that he solved by striking out the final two Brewers he faced, then fanning the next trio in the seventh. The Bucs made no noise in the eighth against Will Smith, and Felipe Rivero made his first Bucco appearance. He gave up a single and walk, but worked out of it. Jeremy Jeffress got his third save of the series, giving up a Cutch knock before cruising through the ninth. 

The Pirates were swept, and deservedly so. The pitchers all stumbled out of the gate, made too many fundamental blunders and hit like they had broomsticks instead of bats against two guys (Anderson & Garza) that the league has feasted on. Let's hope during the off day tomorrow that the FO fills the roster with the best 25 MLB players it has instead of playing musical chairs with the pups and the team can take off from there. The schedule is still soft and they can make a run, ut they can't do it with one arm tied behind their back. We know the FO likes to hoard options as much as they can, but they have to step it up; the roster game has gone on too long.

• The Pirates had five hits. Gregory Polanco was the only Buc to reach twice with a homer and walk.
• Frankie notched his 1,500th K.
• Keon Broxton sent Josh tumbling on a first base collision in the sixth, and Harrison left the game with "left knee discomfort."
• Max Moroff was called up rather than Josh Bell because his stay is expected to be just a few days, until one of the Indy pitchers is recalled to take the bump against Cincy. We think the Pirates are being a little too cute in manipulating their roster, but hey... Moroff pinch hit and K'ed.
• The Pirates are 18-63 at Miller Park since 2007. In this set, they scored six runs and several times played like a little league club regarding fundamentals .
• Tyler Glasnow threw briefly (15 pitches) off the front of the mound today, the first time since being DL'ed on July 24th that he hasn't tossed off a flat surface.
• On his Sunday radio show, Neal Huntington said that the Bucs never expected a "Chapman-type haul" for The Shark. He added that there were a handful of clubs in on Mark, tho he didn't mention how far along any of the discussions with other clubs had progressed. NH said the club is still looking to add - they're willing to do something "dumb, (but) not insane" - and Adam Berry of MLB.com tweeted that the Pirates did scout the Drew Smyly - Nathan Eovaldi match yesterday.