Gloves, Bats Fail Bucs In 3-1 Loss

Zach Davies and Ivan Nova traded easy innings to open the game. Pittsburgh stayed quiet in the second and the Brewers were gifted a run. After a knock and a walk, Neil Walker bounced a likely DP ball to J-Bell; his throw to second was low and everyone was safe. Jordy made a nice play in the hole to get a force at third as the Brew Crew plated a run, then a 6-4-3 DP kept things from escalating. Jordy and Starling singled in the third; they were stranded. Ivan set Milwaukee down in order. J-Bell walked in the fourth and with two outs, Fraze dropped a single into right. The throw in was off mark and Joey Cora waved the windmill; Bell was beat easily, although a crash at the plate did draw a blocking the plate challenge. Those don't work anymore. Nova bopped Travis Shaw during an other wise calm frame.

Ivan deserved a better fate tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

In the fifth, Davies plunked Jordy maybe as payback and Stew singled him to third. No prob; in three pitches, a bunt and two balls that didn't leave the infield cemented another pair of runners. A couple of Brewer raps and a stolen base left runners at second and third with two outs; Ivan got the third without any further ado. In the sixth, Fraze smacked a hanging curve up the RF line for a two-out, RBI knock to tie it up; Starling's bid to dink the lead run home was spoiled by Walker who made a diving grab of his flare to short right. A walk, passed ball and grounder put Shaw at third. Walker was intentionally walked to get a righty-righty match; Manny Pina won by banging a grounder to third that Freeser deflected to allowing the Crew the lead run again. Jordy corralled the carom and appeared to have rifled out the runner at first (J-Bell stretched, so foot contact, not the throw, was the issue), but since the Bucs burned their challenge on the never-enforced blocking the plate beef, the safe call stood.

Starling singled with two gone in the seventh, bringing on Jared Hughes. Marte swiped second and stayed there as J-Hay hit a comebacker. AJ Schugel took the hill; he gave up a bomb to Keon Broxton; that's sorta been the bullpen's MO lately. Just to rub it in, Hughes K'ed Cutch and Freeser in a 1-2-3 eighth. Joaquin Benoit served an out, single, DP for a clean inning. Corey Knebel came on to finish it up. Fraze and Jordy both put charges in the ball but ended up with loud outs to center. JJ walked, strolled to second on defensive indifference and S-Rod went down looking on a pitch that was outside but close enough to spoil. The Pirates gave this one away; two of the Brewer runs were glove gifts and the offense was AWOL. The story of the season - when little things count, the Bucs are wanting. They bleed runs while today the Brew Crew gunned a guy at home and saved a score on a tumbling dive. C'est la vie.

Fraze had a couple more raps (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

Notes:

• Starling and Fraze had two hits each; the rest of the team had two total and stranded eight. In the last four games, the Pirates have scored four earned runs.
• Austin Meadows is done with his rehab and has returned to Indy.