Jamo One-Hitter, JJ Cycle Lead Bucs To 8-4 Win Over Jake & the Cubs

Wouldn't be a Cub game w/o Anthony Rizzo going long; he took an up-and-in heater and dropped it barely into the RF seats after fouling off four pitches. It looked like a fan may have helped it over, but a review said no, and Jameson Taillon and the Bucs were down 1-0. Fraze and J-Bell started off with back-to-back knocks off Jake Arrieta. A short wild pitch moved Fraze up just before Andrew served the house specialty, a GIDP, tho it did bring in a run. The second featured a couple of walks by Jamo, a rarity, but it only bit him by turning the order over. JJ dropped a lob into left and stayed rooted at first.

JT had his game face on tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Cubs went in order in the third as did the Pirates. A walk, DP (a safe call at first was overturned after a challenge; Jason Heyward never touched the bag) and K took care of the Chicago fourth. Matt Joyce was plunked and S-Rod singled him to third. This time, a Buc hit it in the air - JJ caught a thigh-high hook and sent it on the line over the Clemente Wall in right. The Bucs got a couple more aboard, leaving them on but took a 4-1 lead. JT tossed a clean fifth. S-Rod doubled with two gone; Chris Coghlin had to leave the game after meeting the wall while leaping for the ball. JJ followed with another two-bagger, and what the heck, Freeser banged out another. Eric Fryer couldn't quite keep up, but he did manage an RBI knock off a glove to make it 7-1 before the dance ended.

Fraze dropped a pop up in the sixth, but all it cost were a few extra tosses by Jamo. Mike Montgomery took the ball while the Cubbies swapped some guys out, and held the Pirates to a J-Bell knock. Jared Hughes replaced JT, who was at 90 pitches, in the seventh. He bopped a batter and walked another, then Freeser threw a ball away, allowing a run to score. Zach Phillips climbed the hill, and an out, wild pitch and single brought in two more to make it 7-4. Juan Nicasio was waved in and ended the madness. Pedro Strop extracted a little revenge by drilling S-Rod; warnings were issued but the Bucs had the last laugh - JJ completed the cycle with a triple. He was stranded, but hey, why be greedy on the one day it shouldn't matter?

JJ landed in the Bucco history books with his cycle (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Felipe Rivero gave up a knock but no other damage in the eighth. Aroldis Chapman came in to break a sweat and hardly did, striking out the side. Tony Watson got a ninth inning call and booked it, tho he did surrender a two bagger.

Good night for a change. Jamo finishes the year 5-4, 3.38, in 18 starts and 104IP. John Jaso makes a little history. The ol' Jake curse looks like it's history. The contest only lasted three hours. And the four game losing streak came to an end. Hey - let's do it again tomorrow!

• John Jaso's cycle was the first one completed at PNC Park. It was the first by a Pirate since Daryle Ward's in 2004 at Busch Stadium. The last home Bucco cycle was by Jason Kendall in 2000 at TRS - and he was the only Pirate to hit one there. JJ chased home five runs and scored twice.
• J-Bell, S-Rod and Eric Fryer each had a pair of knocks tonight.
• From @BrinkPG - Jamo walked three batters in a start for the first time since August 22nd, 2013 against AAA Rochester.
• Clint told the press gang that he'll probably "back off" using Fran because of a left hand bruise and they'll be cautious re: Jordy's forearm tightness. He added *spoiler alert* that Neftali Feliz is likely done for the season.
• If you're keeping count, Starling Marte, Gerrit Cole, Josh Harrison, Neftali Feliz, AJ Schugel and Stew have more-or-less missed September.