Ben Lively put the Bucs away 1-2-3 in the first while Gerrit Cole, well, he had a typical opener.Two strikes and a single, two strikes and a homer by Maikel Franco and it was 2-0 from the get-go. Freeser doubled with an out in the second and was left aboard; the Phils got got a knock, wild pitch and walk (ball four caused Amore and ump Larry Vanover to hold an inning-long ongoing discussion over the call on a pitch knee-high and down the middle; the man in blue called a tight, hitter-friendly zone all night) but didn't add on. The Bucs went in order in the third; the Brotherly Love bunch got a one-out triple from Nick Williams, but a Cole reached back and got a whiff and soft comebacker.
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| Lordy, lordy Jordy (photo Pittsburgh Pirates) |
Pittsburgh had a fun fourth - JJ's rap, J-Bell's triple (helped by a bit of an OF misadventure) and a deep Freeser sac fly tied it. The Bucs continued to work it with two outs as Gregory singled, Cervy walked and Jordy reached on a boot. The error proved costly when Cole Train rolled a two-run knock up the middle, then followed by tossing a shutdown frame, capped by a diving stop-and-toss by Bell. Adam Morgan took the hill in the fifth and worked a quiet frame. Philly was limited to an opening single. Freeser led off the sixth with a walk and Jordy cashed him in with a two-out, opposite field triple. With two outs and two strikes, Odubel Herrera singled and went to second on a JJ misplay. Cole Train replied with a fan job as he struck out the side, his night over at 113 tosses.
The Pirates had a quick seventh. Huddy got an out, then a double/single combo put Phils on the corners. It was El Coffee to the rescue. He snagged a fly to right, gunned the ball home to catch a tagging Daniel Nava and put another zippo up. Luis Garcia gave up a one-out walk & wild pitch in the eighth. After another out, Amore walked and Jordy drilled a single to left to load 'em up, but pinch-hitter Fraze left them floating on the pond. Juan Nicasio climbed the slope and climbed back down with his job done after just seven pitches. With J-Hay on second and two outs in the ninth, lefty Hoby Milner came on to turn J-Bell around and won when Josh's liner was gloved. Felipe Rivero took the ball and gave up a single and wild pitch (which looked a lot like a Cervy whiff), but celebrated his 26th birthday in style by otherwise striking out the side for his fifth save.
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| Happy Birthday, Felipe! (photo Pittsburgh Pirates) |
Neither team was very sharp with runners on; they combined to go 3-of-19 w/RISP. But the Bucs had a couple of big two-out knocks and made several plays behind their pitchers tonight; that was the difference. It was nice to see Cole Train back on track; it'd be nicer to see him come out of the first unscathed. The Pirates have a couple of wins under their belt, but still have miles to go.
Notes:
- Freeser had a knock & two walks, Jordy had two hits, and Cervy drew a pair of free passes as the Bucs scattered their eight hits throughout the lineup.
- Jordy Mercer isn't a noted speedster, but he has the team lead in triples now with four; he entered the season with five career three-baggers. Second in triples is another pair of not-so-fleet-of-foot guys, J-Bell and Jose Osuna, with three. Five other Buccos claim a pair, including Stew. Speed is nice; smart base running still often trumps it.
- Starling smacked a three-run homer in his rehab stint at Indy. He had a good night, with a single and walk too.
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