Giants Make the Plays, Bucs Don't In 2-1 Loss

The Bucs went down 1-2-3 to Jeff Samardzija. The Giants had a different script against Trevor Williams. A double and two walks jammed the sacks with an out; a possible DP grounder wasn't fed very well by Jordy to Fraze who couldn't make the turn. Pittsburgh evened it up in the second thx to a JJ walk, Fran knock and Fraze two-bagger. Jordy was walked to load them and The Shark helped himself by bare handing a dribbler off Trevo's bat and getting a force at home. Starling was jammed and popped out to leave the ducks on the pond. The Giants got a bunt single played a little too leisurely by Trevor but it caused no damage. J-Hay singled and stole second, but his other mateys all K'ed in the third. San Fran got a harmless two-out rap. The Pirates went down in order in the fourth and the Giants again got a two-out knock, this one off Fraze's mitt.

The Bucs wasted a strong outing by Trevo (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

It was another easy inning for The Shark in the fifth; he's fanned seven so far. Denard Span smacked a two-bagger to open and tagged to third on a fly but there he remained. Samardzija cruised through the sixth as did Williams. The Pirates got a single in the seventh to break a 13-in-a-row out streak but didn't dent the scoreboard as Brandon Belt may have saved a double with a nice grab of Jordy's opposite field bid. Tony Watson took the hill and two doubles, one to the leadoff hitter and the other with two outs, gave the G-Men the lead. The second hit was a gift; Starling lost a routine fly in the sun. J-Hay reached with one away in the eighth against Hunter Strickland; Cutch lined into a DP. Hitting 'em hard is part of the battle; hitting 'em where they ain't is the other. Juan Nicasio worked a clean frame. Sam Dtson kicked the slab in the ninth. The Pirates had a couple of long at-bats but never got a ball out of the infield.

It was a well pitched game and the gloves made all the difference. The Giants made the difficult grabs, saving themselves a run or two, while the Pirates muffed a couple of routine plays to cost themselves two runs, no further comment needed.

Notes:

• J-Hay and Fraze had a pair of hits; the Bucs only had five raps on the day.
• The Pirates are 2-11 against the Giants and Reds.
• Pittburgh is 6-41 when scoring less than four runs.