Bucs Finish Up Homestand on Winning Note 5-3

Cutch was still feelin' it after yesterday's game; he threw out an Oriole that had the audacity to tag on him in the first and then a bit later singled Fraze to third (after a nice ovation from the fans), where he scored on J-Bell's knock. Chad Kuhl wasn't feeling it; a pair of singles and another set of doubles put Baltimore ahead 3-1 in the second. Gregory homered off Gabriel Ynoa to cut the lead to one and in the third, a two-out Cutch walk followed by a Bell bomb put Pittsburgh ahead by a run. Man, Baltimore must have called up a lot of pitchers this month - Mike Wright took the hill in the fourth; they only got four innings out of Kevin Gausman last night.

Felipe brought the smoke tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

It heated up a little more; the Bucs left a pair aboard in the fifth, then the Birds got their first two men aboard in the sixth, chasing Kuhl and bringing on Jack Leathersich. He got his out, then Clint waved in Edgar Santana (September bullpens!) who got the next two. Dovydas Neverauskas tossed a clean seventh and the Bucs added an insurance marker off Mychal Givens when Starling's two-out infield knock brought home S-Rod who had doubled. George Kontos worked the eighth quietly as did Richard Bleier for Charm City. Felipe Rivero gave up a double in the ninth to keep it interesting but quickly laid it to rest, which isn't all that hard when you're lighting the radar gun at 103.

Chad had a rough outing - five IP, three runs, eight hits - but five K & just one walk helped to keep the damage contained. Cutch and J-Bell pumped up the middle of the order; one or two more run producers should be on the FO's 2018 to-do list.

J-Bell brought the lumber (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Josh Bell had three hits and three RBI, Starling had a couple of knocks and Cutch had a rap and was walked twice, reaching base seven times in a row before finally making an out.
• Pedro Alvarez started tonight's game; this is El Toro's first visit back to PNC Park since he and the Bucs parted ways. He was given a video tribute and got a warm welcome from the fans. Petey even started a 3-6-3 DP in the first inning, something he was seemingly incapable of here.
• Teke also drew a rousing roar when he was recognized tonight while doing his last Pirates game, not only by the fans but by the entire Pirates dugout.
• He didn't do the National Anthem, but Pittsburgh's Wiz Khalifa did toss the final ceremonial first pitch of the 2017 campaign.
• 24,779 visited the park tonight. 
• The hot & cold Bucs have now won four in a row as they travel to DC to close the season with a four-game stand with the Nationals.
• The Cubs clinched the NL Central tonight with a 5-1 win over the Cards.