Bucs Bullpen Blasted by Birds in 11-7 Loss

The day after giving Gerrit Cole a 4-0 lead and losing, the Bucs did the same for Jameson Taillon, handing him a four run edge just to see it fade in the rear view mirror. The Bucs scored early off Adam Wainwright with an excuse-me single by Starling and a just-made-it homer by J-Hay with the first-row fans in left outjumping Tommy Pham for the ball. The Pirates plated three in more the third, for the second night stringing together a two-out, bases-empty rally when J-Hay singled, Cutch walked and J-Bell, Freeser and Fraze collected raps to put the Bucs up, 5-1. The Cards had their own two-out magic working, tallying on a Jedd Gyorko homer in the second and a fourth-inning Kolten Wong RBI single. They cut the lead to one in the fifth when the rain and some wildness (two walks scored) by Jamo, who said the steady rain didn't bother him, made it 5-4; that was followed by an hour and 15 minute delay.

Like Cole the day before, Jamo couldn't hang on to the lead (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

When it started up again, Luke Weaver gave up a hit and walk adding in a wild pick-off throw but escaped unscathed when Jamo bunted into a DP, his only job as he was done pitching after the storm. AJ Schugel put up a zero and the Pirates left the bases loaded in the sixth. In the seventh, Joaquin Benoit was tattooed, giving up three runs (Dexter Fowler's triple was the killer) while getting an out before Huddy closed it down. The Pirates stranded runners at second and third. The eighth went quietly as Marte grounded into Pittsburgh's fourth DP of the night. Wade LeBlanc gave up a four-spot in the ninth, capped by Pham's 440' blast and a Randall Grichuk triple, and the Fat Lady took the stage after Seung Hwan Oh was tapped for a couple of no-harm runs, with the Pirates leaving runners at second and third.

Andrew was cutchin' last night (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

So GIDPs, stranded runners galore (although seven runs is a good night for anyone) and a middle-bullpen meltdown (remind us again why Benoit was a better pickup than Dovydas Neverauskas, Edgar Santana, Steven Brault etc.) frustrated the Bucs tonight. As Rosanne Roseannadanna would say "... it just goes to show you, it's always something — if it ain't one thing, it's another." Amen.

Notes:

• Cutch had three knocks and a walk, J-Hay three hits, Marte two hits and a walk, Freeser two raps, and J-Bell had a knock and two walks.
• Fran Cervelli was placed on the DL, retro to Monday, with left-wrist inflammation. IF Max Moroff was called up as his replacement. 
• In six Bucco outings, Joaquin Benoit has worked 5-1/3 IP, giving up nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with two walks, a beaned batter and 11.81 ERA.
• Six different Redbirds had multi-hit nights, led by Jedd Gyorko's three-pack.
• The Pirates have now lost five straight games.