Bucs Roll to 6-2 Win; Eye Sweep Tomorrow Afternoon

Willy tossed a quiet first; Jack Flaherty gave up an opening knock to Fraze, who was erased an out later on a Starling around-the-horn DP. The Cards were 1-2-3 again in the second. J-Bell walked and Corey D hit into another DP; too bad as Amore followed with a homer. A single, bunt and two-out Tommy Pham double knotted it in the third; the Bucs wasted another Fraze knock. The Redbirds went down w/o a peep in the fourth, and guess what - Starling led off with a single and J-Bell hit into a DP to kill another frame. St. Louis drew a walk in the fifth; he died at second. Red Beard also drew a free pass that turned the order over. A double/single combo by St. Louis (Marcell Ozuna worked a nine-pitch at bat before chasing home the run) put the Redbirds ahead in the sixth.

Willy keeps on winning (photo Joe Guzy/Pirates)

Fraze walked to open for the Buccos, then Gregory did the same. Dominic Leone replaced him and almost got a DP, but Starling beat out the relay for a force, leaving Bucs on the corners. J-Bell knocked home one run and made it to second after a Pham bobble. Corey D was walked intentionally to juice the sacks before Cervy lifted a sac fly to give the Pirates the lead. Willy gave up two runs in six innings on four hits with two walks, two whiffs and 104 pitches, leaving the seventh to Michael Feliz. He gave up a leadoff knock and almost a second, but Moran made a nice stop to get an out at first, with Feliz cruising after that save.

Luke Gregerson came in and gave up a Jordy double and walk; Matheny waved in Tyler Lyons, and Clint flipped Fraze for Freeser. A passed ball moved the runners up 90' and Freeser, who worked from 0-2 to a full count, poked a fly into right to plate an insurance run. Gregory was plunked to put Pirates at first and third and that brought on Mike Mayers. Starling legged out an infield hit to load 'em; S-Rod's fake break off third may have helped the cause. J-Bell K'ed on a foul tip of ball four. Corey D softened the blow with an excuse-me ma'am dink over third to add another point. It wasn't exactly a Lumber Company frame, but the BABIP gods gotta give a dog a belly rub every so often.

Fraze had two knocks and a walk tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

George Kontos got two outs in the eighth before Jordy booted a grounder, but no blood was shed. Moran walked and Mad Max singled and it was worth a run when the Card's kicked Gregory's grounder, allowing Red Beard to score. And we're glad for that extra tally - Clint had Felipe Rivero warming up for what would have been his fourth straight outing, but with the immediate save opp by the boards, Edgar Santana took over. 10 pitches later, it was time to RTJR.

From the outhouse to the penthouse in four games; tough to tell what Bucs will show up. When they play with discipline at bat (they drew seven walks tonight) and in the field, they're a pretty nice club. And it sure is sweet to go into that third game of a set looking for a sweep instead of wrestling for the series.

Notes:

• Fraze and Marte had two hits; Cervy now has four HR/20 RBI in 22 games. In 2017, he had five homers and 31 runs chased home in 81 matches.
• Clint won his 600th game as Bucco skipper tonight.
• 18,568 was tonight’s paid attendance, kinda dismal for a fireworks night but then again wintry pyrotechnics isn't usually a thing.
• AJ Schugel made his fifth overall rehab appearance yesterday; he struck out two of the three batters he faced in his third outing with AAA Indianapolis.