Bucs Continue to Self Destruct, Bow 6-2

Hey, typical shoot-yourself-in-the-foot first. Two singles, a Cutch K, a walk and a 6-4-3 DP *sigh* kept Jake Thompson's butt out of the fire. Steven Brault looked sharp, with a whiff and a couple of dirtballs. The Bucs continued to be their own worst in the second. S-Rod singled to lead off, then was caught stealing. The Phils piled on with Freddy Galvis robbing Eric Fryer of a knock. Philly zeroed in; a single and Galvis homer (he's had a busy inning) made it 2-0. Brault stranded a couple of ensuing hits to keep it that way going into the third.

Cutch hit his 21st long ball (photo David Zalubowski/AP)

The Prates went down quietly. Not the Phils. A soft single and a couple of bullets brought in another run; one more crossed the dish when Freeser booted a two out grounder after making a great play earlier in the frame. Cutch led off the fourth with a solo shot and Gregory walked. After a swipe, Freeser singled him to third. S-Rod's fly plated a run and Freese also moved up a sack, only to die at second. A bunt single and throwing error by Fryer brought the water to a simmer again, and it boiled over after a two-out double. Zach Phillips came on to finish the frame.

A one-out walk in the fifth was wiped out with another 6-4-3 DP. Drew Hutchison took the hill. After an out, three singles loaded the sacks, but he got out of it with a whiff of Thompson and a bouncer. Gregory singled with one away in the sixth and yep, another DP (it took a challenge by the Phils to ring this one up.) Hutch's luck ran out with two outs when Tommy Joseph took him deep to make it 6-2. Michael Mariot climbed the bump in the seventh. With two gone, back-to-back walks brought in Edubray Ramos to Face Jung Ho Kang, who went down looking. Wade LeBlanc worked a clean inning thanks to a caught stealing after a single.

Gregory was on base three times with a hit and two walks (photo Ron Chenay/USA Today)

The Bucs stranded a Cutch single in the eighth. Wade whiffed the side, tho he was touched for a two-out two-bagger. Luis Garcia took the ball in the ninth. He gave up a single and walk with one gone, bringing on Jeanmar Gomez. Matt Joyce singled off him; S-Rod was thrown out at home after being waved around by Rick Sofield in an act of complete baseball idiocy with the tying run due up. The Bucs challenged the call and lost; either way, smh. A wild pitch moved up the remaining runners, but no diff as a swinging K by Jason Rogers at a sinker that almost hit his foot ended it.

Ya can't win every year, we know, but geez, you don't have to be an embarrassment either. Quit playing the bench guys and give us a look at the future with the kids, where a mistake is a learning experience, not a way of life.

• Cutch and S-Rod each had a pair of knocks. They had nine hits and six walks, but with three DP and two toss-outs on the bases stranded just eight runners.
• In the last six games, the Pirates have GIDP at least once. They've rolled into 14 twin killings over that span. 
• Tonight was Zach Phillip's first MLB appearance since September 15th, 2013 against the Mets when he was a Marlins call-up. He was also the 53rd different player the Pirates have used this season, a new club record. Wade LeBlanc made it 54 players later in the evening.
• Ben Cherington, ex-Boston GM who the Bucs where rumored to be after during the off-season, has joined Toronto's front office. He has an eye for young talent and would have been a great add.