Bucs Ride Corey D, Starling & Freeser Homers To 6-4 Win

Gregory worked Junior Guerra for a one-out walk, coming back from 0-2, and Starling singled him to second. A wayward pickoff try by catcher Manny Pina moved them up 90' with two away and a Corey D walk juiced the sacks. A Cervy walk made it 1-0 before Colin Moran K'ed, swinging at a splitter in the dirt. The Bucs got some but left some. The Brewers drew a two-out walk off Nick Kingham before he ended the frame. He was a little wild, too, using 21 pitches. Guerra had an easy second with two grounders and Fraze's second K. Pina made amends for his throwing error by taking a first-pitch four seamer long to tie the game. J-Bell singled with two outs in the third. Two pitches later, Corey D pounded a heater into the second deck to retake the lead. Cervy walked and went to second on a passed ball, but Red Beard couldn't cash him in. The King cruised through the Brewers.

Pretty good deal to get him, no? (graphic Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Bucs were quiet in the fourth. A one-out double and wild pitch set up the Brewskis, but a whiff and bouncer cleaned it up. Gregory opened the fifth with a knock and sprinted home when Starling banged a stand-up, inside-the-park job to left center that took a Bucco bounce off the angled wall; the ball wasn't back to the infield when Marte touched home. With two outs, Cervy almost legged out a double; originally ruled safe at second, the inning ended with a successful Brewer challenge of the tag. Milwaukee got an infield knock but had no other answer. Brent Suter calmed the Buc bats in the sixth while Kingham ran into problems; a double/single combo to open the frame plated a run. An out later, a hung 0-2 slider to Domingo Santana was dropped into the seats to make it a one run game and brought on Edgar Santana, who shut the gate.

S-Rod opened with a single and Gregory was bopped to start the seventh, but Sutter shut it down, with the third out a Corey D at 'em ball to first. Michael Feliz gave up a soft flare to open, then struck out the side, with a little drama added thanks to a two-out walk. Matt Albers got the eighth; Moran singled with an out and Jordy bounced into a DP, rolling over on a slider off the plate. George Kontos got the Brew Crew's 4-5-6 hitters. After an out and a knock, Felipe Vazquez was waved in for a five-out save. He walked the first guy he faced, but a nice running catch by Gregory and a whiff shut the window. Taylor Williams fell behind Freeser, 2-0, to start the ninth; David then smoked a heater the opposite way for a dinger and a little more room to breath. S-Rod walked, as did J-Bell two outs later. A wild pitch moved them up, but a fly ball left them on ice. It's never easy; the Brewers opened with a knock on a 50-50 ball to center; no diff - a DP and K made it time to RTJR.

This guys been pretty good himself... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lots of action tonight and lots of opportunities for both clubs. It's nice to see the Pirates continue to play strong in the division (9-of-11 so far) and another solid start from Nick Kingham, who was one pitch away from another strong outing.
You have to wonder if George Kontos' eighth inning role isn't winding down; he's struck out just two of the 60 batters he's faced this year. We're wondering if bringing in Felipe was a change of thinking for Clint or just a no-confidence vote for Knotos.

Notes:

• Starling's inside-the-park homer was the Bucs first of the year; the last was Adam Frazier's on September 9th, 2017 v the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, also a stand-up four-bagger. Marte had two hits on the night; Cervy reached base three times with a knock and two walks.
• Corey Dickerson's homer was the first of the year surrendered by Guerra and Cory D's fifth of the campaign.
• Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit tonight, a single to right off Mike Leake. Tip o' the cap to Sir Albert, who tortured the Bucs for a quite a spell.