Nightcap: How Sweep It Is; Bucs Take Nightcap 8-6

The Bucs left runners on the corners in the first against MLB debut boy Ryan Carpenter. Chad Kuhl got the first two Tigers and should have had the third, but S-Rod misread a liner to left, allowing it to fall for a double. A single followed; Marte's throw was way off the mark, allowing the run to score and letting the runner move up; the next batter brought him home with another two-bagger. The second went quietly. In the third, the Bucs banged the rookie. J-Hay dinged a two-run shot and Starling added a solo blast before the inning ended on another strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP; that's twice J-Bell has been on the wrong end of that twin killing. Chad set down seven in a row, but a leadoff triple and one-out single tied it in the fourth. Now facing Buck Farmer in the fifth, the Bucs had an answer, and it was a big one.

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The Pirates had a run in on a Jordy sac fly with two outs and runners on second and third when they got rockin'. A wild pitch and Cervy single plated a pair, then Freeser's first-pitch (it was a hung curve), two-run shot made it an 8-3 game. Cool Chad tossed a 1-2-3 frame. The Corsairs went quietly in the sixth. Miggy homered, and with two on and two out, Clint called on Edgar Santana, who fanned Julio Iglesias to end the threat. Kuhl's line was 5-2/3 IP, four runs on eight hits with four K on 85 pitches. It was a catch away from being a pretty decent job. The seventh was scoreless, with Tyler Glasnow getting his first outing. After a couple of whiffs, he was tapped for a triple and walk but worked out of it after an Uncle Ray chat. The eighth went by without any damage.

Dovydas Neverauskas took over in the ninth with a four-run lead. Do the Tigers have the Bucs right where they want them, like on Friday? A single and double to start the frame with a quick run made it look like it could be. It also made it a save opp and in for the second time today came Felipe Rivero. After a whiff, he was banged for a Miggy double - the old dude has sipped from the Fountain of Youth against Pittsburgh - then claimed a K and fly to get his second save of the day in an 8-6 win.

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J-Hay had three hits, scored twice and chased a pair home; Freeser had two hits, plated once and chased a pair home and Eli had two knocks and touched the plate two time. The pitching was good enough, and though the club still runs the bases like a fire drill and refuses to make all the plays in the field, the offense is carrying over from Florida. It's been a good formula in Motor City; now to see how they function on Opening Day after a long day.

Notes:

• Win some, lose some: Polanco's second inning try for a bomb was called foul; an ump review upheld the decision. J-Hay's third inning blast was first ruled a double, but another ump review reversed that decision and waved him around.
• Trevor Williams was on board with Clint's decision to pull him after six no-hit innings in the lidlifter. "It was only a matter of time. I couldn't keep walking guys, getting out of jams. I understand the move, totally."
• Gerrit Cole's first line as an Astro: seven innings, one run on two hits, 11 K.