Kingham Brilliant, Diaz Stays Hot As Bucs Sweep Redbirds 5-0

Nick Kingham, 26, and Luke Weaver, 24, are out to to show the kids are alright; they both tossed clean openers. In the second. Nick fanned the side while the Bucs wasted a walk and a knock by Corey D and Red Beard. It was another quiet frame in the third for the Cards while Pittsburgh left Fraze at first. The fourth was another 1-2-3 for Nick, who now has six whiffs; the Pirates stranded a two-out Eli single. No Redbirds or Buccos reached base in the fifth. Add a couple of more swinging K jobs to Nick's line in the sixth; his slider is criminal today. Starling singled with an out and a bloop by J-Bell put Buccos at the corners. A walk to Corey D juiced the sacks and Eli's single to right plated a pair to break the deadlock. Jordan Hicks was waved in but the party continued with a Moran RBI knock into center. Eli was out #2 on the contact play, third base to home. Nick walked to load 'em again and Fraze used his puppies for another RBI, taking a slider off the foot to make it 4-0. Gregory made the last out on a 110 MPH bullet to second.

Nick dazzled 'em (photo via MLB.com)

S-Rod took over at second; whether for D or because Fraze's foot is achy is TBD. After a long but fruitful wait between innings, Nick got the first two outs before Paul DeJong gently bounced a slider through the left side. Kingham got the third out and called it a day, going seven scoreless with one hit and nine K after 98 pitches; if he wanted to leave a good first impression, consider it done. Luke Gregerson put away the Pirates and Michael Feliz worked the eighth. He gave up a single to Yadier Molina, who was doubled off first base an out later by Starling, after taking off on a routine fly. The Cards have, tbh, played fundamentally like a little league team this series. Greg Holland came in and was greeted by an Eli rap. He then gave up back-to-back knocks to Jordy and Freeser with an out to run it to 5-0. Edgar Santana took the bump in the ninth. He gave up a double and walk but no runs. RTJR!

Eli hot as a pistol in April (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

It's sure been a turnaround. Nick was dazzling, Eli continues to rake, the Bucs played fundamentally solid ball again (unlike the storied masters of the book, the Cards) and have been rewarded with a five game winning streak and relevance in the NL Central. Heck, who knows what they're capable of once baseball weather arrives.

Notes:

• Per @joe_block, Nick Kingham is the first #MLB pitcher in his debut to pitch seven+ innings without allowing a runner to reach second. He also retired the first 20 batters he faced today in his opening game, and per @EliasSports, that's the longest run by a player in his first outing during the Expansion Era (since 1961).
• Lost a bit in the Kingham hubbub is Eli's start - he had three more hits and is batting .484. Red beard also added a pair of knocks today
• 17 wins is the most for a Bucco team during March/April.  
• 14,738 paid to watch Nick's performance today. And lots more heard about it thanks to Doc Emrick, who mentioned Kingham's outing during the national TV broadcast of the Penguin-Caps game.