Bucs Rock 'N' Roll Over Giants 10-3

Hokay, good start against Matt Cain; a Starling walk and stolen base followed by a J-Hay two-bagger (Marte didn't score; he held up to make sure the ball dropped) both turned into runs after a Cutch roller and J-Bell double; the last two outs were screamers that found leather. Cole Train, holy moly, put up a zero with just a walk to mar his opening round. Jordy singled with an out in the second and was bunted up; a boot that would prove quite costly put Bucs on the corners. J-Hay's rap brought in a run and Cutch added to the pot by dinging a ball over the 382' mark in left center. Cain yelled at the ump (who didn't, in fairness, throw the hanging curve), Bruce Bochy came out to join the chorus and got tossed.  A single off a glove and passed ball set up the G-Men, but Cole Train said no. Freeser led off the third with a knock but an out later a GIDP ended the fun. The Giants went down quietly and quickly on eight tosses.

Cole Train labored but kept the lid on (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The fourth went meekly for the Bucs while the Giants dented the board on a Brandon Belt double and Brandon Crawford one-out rap. A walk followed and an out later, another one loaded 'em up. Pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie took Cain's place and grounded out *whew* Albert Suarez took the ball in the fifth and tossed a clean frame. The Giants drew a walk to open followed by a single (Cole gave up on the edges after the walk). Belt didn't see a strike but was in swing mode anyway, bouncing into a force. Buster Posey singled in a run; Cutch pulled a fake trap catch deke and held up Belt long enough to toss him out at third. A bouncer ended the Giant party. With two gone in the sixth, Cervy singled and went to third on Jordy's knock. Gerrit, who is at 94 tosses, batted and whiffed on three pitches; guess Clint wanted one more inning. He got it - Gorkys Hernandez singled with two gone, running Cole's pitch count to 115 but causing no other damage.

George Kontos scaled the slope in the seventh and tucked the Bucs in. Tony Watson answered the bell. He was welcomed with a walk and a knock but got Belt to roll over on a 3-2 pitch and bounce into a DP. The G-Men then tallied on Posey's knock before the third out was recorded. Josh Osich toed the rubber in the eighth. Back-to-back knocks and a bunt set the table. Cervy couldn't get the ball in the air, but Jordy could, sending a center-cut 3-2 slider over the fence in left-center to put the cherry on top. Joey O singled and plated on Starling's double. Kyle Crick was waved in to close the frame. Juan Nicasio took the hill (he was the only one warming up before the two-out explosion), giving up a single but no runs. Two walks and a rap loaded the bases for Pittsburgh (the second free pass led to Giant pitching coach Dave Righetti getting the heave-ho) in the ninth, but Jordy took a hack at ball four and bounced out to short. Felipe Rivero came on, just for the work (he hasn't twirled since the 20th against Milwaukee). He had a little rust, walking the leadoff hitter before driving the final nail.

Jordy's three-run bomb brought the Fat Lady onstage (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

The pitching wasn't efficient tonight, but it was effective. Mix in a couple of three-run homers (somewhere Earl Weaver is smiling) and it's a nice rebound from the Colorado set. Time to make some hay against some of league's have-nots.

Notes:

• Jordy and J-Bell had three hits. Freeser had two knocks and a walk, J-Hay two raps and Fran a walk and a knock.
• Gerrit ended a five-game streak of first-inning runs allowed.
• Both starting pitchers had issues (and words) with home plate ump Chris Conroy, who shrunk the strike zone in an equal opportunity fashion in the early innings of tonight's game. Chris' calls became merely erratic over the final frames. It played a part in the Pirates tossing 189 pitches and walking six tonight, although most of it was thx to bad aim.