Same Ol' Bucs: Tyler Walks Six, Pirates Barely Nudge Plate in 8-2 Loss to Brew Crew

OK - Cutch got the Bucs on the board with a solo shot in the first off Chase Anderson, then the Brew Crew and Tyler Glasnow had an interesting start. Glasnow went full on the first four batters and walked three of them, one on an atrocious call on a ball just about down the middle (that got Clint tossed). Eli caught a guy stealing, but the fifth batter, Hector Perez, swung at the first pitch, broke his bat and dropped a fly into left to tie the game; the run was scored, natch, by Neil Walker who drew the bogus walk. Wade LeBlanc was loosening in the pen and it took Glasnow 35 pitches to navigate the inning. The second went quietly; the Bucs stranded a bopped batter (Tyler) and walk in the third. The Brewers got a walk and Eric Thames homer in their half. Then with two outs, a walk, single, double steal and another broken-bat bloop made it 5-1. Tom Prince gave Tyler the hook, waved in Frenchy and barked at ump Bill Welke coming and going from the mound.

Tyler and the strike zone aren't on speaking terms yet (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Pirates got a single/double duo that led to naught in the fourth when Freeser was thrown out at home trying to tag on Eli's lineout to center. It was a good send by Joey Cora, but David is, well, slow and the throw was dead on. The Pirates stranded Starling at third in the fifth and the Brew Crew poured it on Angel Sanchez: infield knock, double, wild pitch, single, another wild pitch...it was 8-1 when the dust settled, with two runs scoring on Sanchez WPs. Four of the first five Bucs reached in the sixth, with Eli's infield single producing a run and chasing Anderson for Oliver Drake. The Bucs left the sacks packed. Dan Runzler stepped on the slab; Keon Broxton greeted him with a single, but his happy feet got him gunned at second by J-Lup (might have helped if he slid, but hey...) and the Brewers ended up with a zippo. Jacobs Barnes 1-2-3'ed the Bucs in the seventh; Dovydas Neverauskas was nicked for a couple of two-out knocks but squirmed out of it.

A couple of old Bucs, Wei-Chung Wang (lost via Rule 5 draft) and Jared Hughes gave up a single and HBP, followed by a GIDP to keep the lid on the eighth. George Kontos surrendered a two-bagger but leaked no more runs. Carlos Torres was waved in to turn the lights out. Mad Max and Fraze singled just to be contrarian and became two more stranded runners (the Pirates had 10 LOB).

No rest for Freeser (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Regardless of results, we'd tell Tyler and Steven Brault not to peek over their shoulders and guarantee them regular rotation turns just to have two or three more looks before the season is done. The FO might as well get a read over the final three weeks; whether Glasnow starts or not in 2018 will impact how the team is constructed during the off season.

Notes:

• Freeser and J-Lup had a pair of raps while Fraze had a knock and a walk.
• Cutch hit homer #200 tonight, joining Willie Stargell, Ralph Kiner and Roberto Clemente as Bucs with 200 or more lost balls. He also increases his MLB lead as the player with the most career HRs w/o a grand slam. 
• Tyler faced 16 Brewer at-bats; he was in three-ball counts during nine of them (six walks, one intentional). It took him 77 pitches to get eight outs.
• The Pirates have lost seven-of-eight. They have the day off tomorrow, then 15 games to the finish line.
• Altoona won 4-2 tonight and is now up 2-0 in the best of five series, taking both games at Trenton. JT Brubaker went eight innings and gave up two unearned runs while Elvis Escobar plated a pair. The Curve is going home with a chance to take the Eastern League title tomorrow and will have Mitch Keller on the hill.