Lumber Company Not; Pirates Fall 3-1.

Jameson Taillon looked sharp in the first, fanning a pair and getting a pop. Doug Fister had a 1-2-3 frame. JT is rollin' early with two more whiffs in a clean second. Gregory made the first solid contact of the game, lining out before a Freeser walk. He was left on first, though the middle of the order made good contact. The 'Stros went down in order in the third, with a K and pair of 1-3's. The Bucs were quiet again; there's been one base runner and no hits through three.

With two out in the fourth, Jose Altuve got the game's first knock when Freeser deflected a liner that Jordy almost gloved from the air. A roller ended the frame. Gregory blistered a two-out double high off the Clemente Wall for the Bucs first rap. A misfired pickoff try moved him to third, where he died. A walk opened the fifth, and a passed ball sent AJ Reed to second. He trotted home when Teoscar Hernandez yanked a 3-1 heater into the seats in left. A double and infield hit followed, but a K and 6-4-3 DP stopped the bleeding. The Bucs got a Fran single and nada else.

JT was tough enough, but the bats continued their snooze (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The sixth was quiet for both clubs.  The seventh opened with a Josh Bell boot, but a quick DP and whiff put that to bed. Josh made up by doubling with two gone but was left on base. It was 1-2-3 for Houston in the eighth. will Harris came in for the Astros and coaxed a pair of soft tappers around a strikeout. Neftali Feliz came in and surrendered a leadoff homer to Alex Bregman to make it 3-0. Closer Ken Giles took over. He fanned a pair before Gregory doubled. He came in on Freeser's infield knock, but after the throw to first got away, David galloped toward second and was cut down, a call upheld by review. With the tying run coming up, it was inexcusable but a most fitting finish to the way the homestand has played out so far.

Jamo was strong again, going eight innings while allowing two runs on four hits and a walk with eight K after 99 tosses, his only problem coming when his control deserted him for a brief span. He's given every indication of an ace in the making. But the Pirates hitting woes continue, with just four runs and 14 hits tallied in the last three games. The inability to sync the arms and the bats is a pattern that's been the root of the Bucs up-and-down year.

• Gregory had two hits and Freeser one with a walk; Josh Bell and Fran had the other Pirate knocks.
• JT pitched for powerhouse The Woodlands HS, just north of Houston, and this was his first outing versus his homies.
• Paul Simon was in the house tonight and was caught chowing down a Primanti's sandwich.
• Tyler Glasgow went three IP in his Altoona rehab start. He gave up no runs on two hits and three walks with six whiffs. Tyler tossed 57 pitches and just 30 were strikes.