Pirates Can't Find Home Again, Drop Opener to Redbirds 4-1

The first couple of innings between Trevor Williams and Luke Weaver were quiet, with the teams exchanging GIDPs. The Redbirds used a bullet and bleeder to score in the third. Greg Garcia led off with a double, went to third on a grounder and scored on Weaver's soft grounder; the infield was in, but the broken-bat hit was weak enough to plate the run. J-Bell singled with an out, then was cut down in a strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP with Freeser up. Memo to Clint: Josh isn't very fast and this will be David's sixth consecutive 100+ K season, d'oh. A weak grounder cost Trevo another run. With first and third occupied after a walk and knock, Williams got a whiff and a bouncer to third, but it wasn't hit solidly enough to turn two, and as a result, it was 2-0.

Josh has been shining bright (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

But the fifth couldn't be blamed on anything or one but Trevo. Weaver singled on an 0-2 pitch, followed by a walk. With two outs, Trevor plunked a Redbird (it was a 3-1 delivery, so just some injury to insult) to load 'em up. He got ahead of Jose Martinez 0-2, then gave him a heater above the belt and down the middle that was slammed into center for two runs. AJ Schugel came in to shut the frame down. The Bucs left runners on the corners in the sixth against Matt Bowman. In the seventh, the Pirates got on the board against John Brebbia when Fraze (welcome back) singled home Eli with two outs. George Kontos got into the action, following AJ with a quiet frame. Ryan Sheriff got two outs in the eighth, gave up a J-Bell knock and in rolled Juan Nicasio, who got a tapper back to the hill. Huddy got the Bucco call and got the job done. Gone Juan finished up to earn *oh the humanity* a four-out save.

Well, the results may be spotty, but getting the kids some time is the way to go. The Pirates are 27th in runs scored and 29th in ISO (Isolated Power), so they should have an idea of what they're looking for in 2018.

Eli got aboard twice tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Pittsburgh had nine singles. J-Bell had three of them; the only other guy to reach twice was Eli with a knock and a walk. The Pirates did have 11 strikeouts with Gregory and Freeser each fanning three times.
• The Bucs will skip Jamo's next start Tuesday against the Brew Crew to spend time working on some mechanical issues. His replacement hasn't been selected; it could be someone from Indy (Tyler Glasnow shadows his rotation day) if the Tribe is eliminated from the playoffs.
• Nick Kingham hurled seven scoreless innings to lead Indy to a 5-0 shutout of the Durham Bulls. The Indians are down 2-1 in the best-of-five set.
• The Altoona Curve took a 2-0 series lead over Bowie in a best-of-five playoff round with an 8-4 win.
• The approach of Hurricane Irma has chased the Bucs out of their Pirate City complex in Bradenton. The Florida State League also canceled its playoffs (the Pirates farm team, the Bradenton Marauders, didn't qualify this year). The hurricane also caused the cancellation of the Carolina League playoffs (no affiliated Pirates team involved).