Bucs Wait 10 Innings For A Hit & Make It Count In 1-0 Win

Trevo was tossing a dandy. He hit a bump in fourth, but a snazzy play by J-Hay and a bases-loaded at 'em ball got him out of it. That was the only time a Dodger got past second in seven innings. And it was only the second-best mound performance; LA's Rich Hill had a perfecto going, thx to a winning challenge after a J-Bell infield hit (he was out) and a sliding grab by Adrian Gonzalez of a popped-up dink. An eighth-inning walk and a plunk around a whiff put Williams in some simmering water. Trevor was running on fumes and Logan Forsythe put him to the test with a two-out, 10-pitch at-bat. He lined one towards left on Trevo's 114th delivery, but Jordy made a glovely snag before the ball could escape the infield to preserve William's whitewash. Chase Utley, of all people, saved Hill's bacon by robbing J-Bell of the first Bucco hit, gloving his liner that was ticketed for right with a full lay-out. The ump rang up S-Rod for the 24th straight out, missing a 3-2 call pretty badly; the pressure might be getting to Brian O'Nora more than Hill.

Couldn't ask much more from Trevo (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Felipe Rivero added another zero to the scoreboard in the ninth. Jordy reached when Logan Forsythe couldn't handle a ball that he tried to play mid-hop; it was ruled (correctly) an error. Stew bunted him up (Yay! A bunt that worked) but Hill got a couple of bouncers to cruise through. Juan Nicasio toed the rubber in the 10th and zipped Big Blue. Hill, at 95 pitches, came out for another round. It was a step too far; J-Hay spanked a 2-1 fastball over the left center wall (Curtis Granderson almost landed in the second row trying to pull it in, but it was safely if narrowly beyond his grasp) and just like that, it was time to raise the Jolly Roger. As Yogi said "It ain't over 'til it's over." Amen.

Not exactly a champagne shower but close enough (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• It sure wasn't perfect, but it was pretty dang good. Trevo went eight shutout innings, giving up seven hits, four walks and a bop with five K and a pair of DP balls while serving up 114 tosses. Only one runner reached third against him although he did strand 10 Trolley Dodgers.
• Per ESPN Stats: The Dodgers had not been shut out in 46 consecutive games. The Pirates were on a seven-game streak of scoring five or more runs themselves, so there was some pretty good hurling going on tonight. 
• There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history, none including the Buccos either way.
• Tough way for Hill's bid to falter - per SABR, it's the first time in MLB history a perfect game bid has ever ended in ninth inning on an error (although The Kitten's 1959 effort ended on an error in the 13th).
• There were 19,859 at PNC Park tonight; they got their money's worth with beautiful weather and a beautiful game.
• Austin Meadows returned to the lineup today after missing five days with a tweaked oblique. Indy warmed him up yesterday as a late-game pinch-runner and defensive replacement.