Bullpen Spanked, Bucs Swept 5-3

It was a nice, quick, three-batters-and-sit-down first for Trevor Williams. Jeff Samardzija's was almost as easy, giving up a leadoff knock to Fraze and nada else. The Giants not a bunt single in the second and the Bucs got a Mad Max knock as the clubs exchanged zeroes. Three grounders, three outs in the third for San Fran. The Bucs had no luck; Fraze was rung up on an armpit-high 3-2 pitch (ump Nic Lentz has been missing calls on an equal opportunity basis in the early going), then Joey O followed with a two-out triple. Hunter Pence made a diving grab of JJ's bid for extra bases and 0-0 it remained. Trevor cruised through the fourth. Gregory doubled with an out and jogged home when Samardzija came inside once too often to Jordy, who drilled the ball over the LC fence. The G-Men slapped a two-out knock in the fifth; Trevor K'ed the next batter. The Pirates went down without a sound.

Trevor fought the good fight today (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Samardzija opened the sixth reaching on a wide throw by Mad Max. J-Bell went for the swipe tag and after a challenge, the call was overturned as the mitt did catch the runner; nice save, Josh. Williams put away the next pair without any drama. JJ started the Bucs off with a single but went nowhere. Trevor opened the seventh poorly with a walk and double; Clint called for Tony and two knocks later, it was a tie game. A third loaded the bases when an out at first was overruled after a challenge. It hurt; after a pop up, a sac fly that would have been the third out instead gave the G-Men the lead. Corey Gearrin took the ball and gave up a couple of well-stroked balls, but none found grass. Edgar Santana came on in the eighth. After a leadoff double, he fanned a pair. Then he fell behind Brandon Belt 3-1, fed him a slider that caught too much plate and watched the ball disappear over the Clemente Wall. After two outs, LHP Scott Okert was called on to face JJ and he served up a gopher ball to make it 5-3. Santana and Sam Dyson exchanged clean ninths and the Giants had a sweep.

Well, we wonder if the GM has noticed that the bullpen ISO some help yet. And we also hope the guys Clint sat down - Cutch, J-Hay & Freeser - all got a good rest. The team has rallied despite Marte, Kang and Cervy being out; maybe it's time to get them a little help and consider playing their best ballplayers a little more often.

Notes:

• J-Hay was deservedly awarded an All-Star berth although equally deserving Felipe Rivero didn't.
• JJ had two hits, the only Bucco to reach safely twice today. Jaso's homer was his second against a lefty in his career. The first was hit in 2010.
• Mad Max broke an 0-for-16 streak with his second inning single.
• Starling was interviewed by Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects at Bradenton regarding his PED suspension. Mostly, Starling's mea culpa was "Ooops, sorry. Didn't know the stuff was juiced, won't happen again."
• Texas acquired Jason Grilli from the Blue Jays for minor league OF Eduard Pinto.