Bucs Stumble But Rally In 12 Innings To Take 5-4 Win

Gregory walked with an out, ducked a couple of pick-offs and trotted home ahead of Cervy's homer off a Homer Bailey slider. J-Bell followed with a knock, but despite a couple of well-struck balls, no more damage was done. Chad Kuhl twirled a clean frame. The Pirates went quietly in the second; Scooter Gennett opened with a walk but never left first. J-Hay singled to open the third, but Gregory grounded into a 4-6-3 DP before Amore lined out. A two-out rap was Cincy's only action. J-Bell waited out a walk to begin the fourth and Corey D moved him up a station with a knock. Red Beard went down looking at a curve three pitches later. After a Meadows lineout, Homer worked around Jordy, walking him to load the bases for Chad, whose swinging bunt ended the frame. It was the third time the Bucs left the bases loaded in 13 innings. The Reds got another two-out single,the only damage adding seven pitches to Chad's count. J-Hay and Fran singled around a Gregory whiff in the fifth. J-Bell fanned too, but Corey D came through with a two-out knock to make it 3-0.

Chad gave the Bucs a strong start tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

J-Hay and Fran singled around a Gregory whiff in the fifth. J-Bell fanned too, but Corey D came through with a two-out knock to make it 3-0. Chad can't quite milk a 1-2-3 inning; Bailey managed to bleed an infield knock that Red Beard couldn't quite barehand for another four batter frame. Austin and Jordy opened the sixth with soft singles. Chad's bunt worked - he pushed it past the mound and the Reds were slow to get to the ball with AM racing around in full tilt boogie mode to score. Tanner Rainey (he sits at 98-99) came on and walked the bases loaded. He K'd El Coffee, fishing for a slider. He did the same to Cervy (we're sensing a trend - heaters followed by a buried two-strike slider at 90-91). J-Bell hit a comebacker and that's four times the bases have remained juiced in the series. With two outs, of course, Scooter Gennett homered on the first pitch, an inside-half fastball above the knees. Dickerson walked to start the seventh but didn't advance. The Reds opened with a single bounced into center, and that brought in Edgar Santana, who finished it three up, three down.

Jackson Stephens climbed the hill for a quiet eighth inning. Michael Feliz gave up back-to-back knocks, one a shot through the box that he couldn't handle (actually, it bounced off his butt) to put Redlegs on the corners. He got Joey Votto on a liner but walked Scooter. A sac fly made it 4-2, and in came Felipe Vazquez for the four-out save opp. Alex Blandino fought off a two-strike heater and dropped an RBI blooper into left. Jose Peraza got a 3-2 heater right down the middle and singled into center to tie it; the runners moved up a base when Meadow's throw home missed the mark. He finally got an out, but he's at 16 pitches. Jared Hughes was called on for the ninth and gave up a two-out knock - J-Bell got a good swing but hit a loud out to center - to Corey D, who dug down for a shin-high sinker and rolled it up the middle, but Moran bounced out. Felipe stayed on and tossed a 1-2-3 frame. Michael Lorenzen got the ball in the 10th. S-Rod walked with two gone and Josh dropped a dink into center, but Freeser rolled one to second to strand a couple more ducks.

Corey D broke out of his mini-slump in a big way (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Steven Brault took the bump. He intentionally walked RHH Eugenio Suarez with two outs to face the last man on the bench, Tony Cruz (.118 BA), and he got him on a fly to center. Dylan Floro answered the phone and served two flies to Billy Hamilton before Corey D smacked a two-bagger. Needless to say, he was left there. Brault walked the first Red; a bunt try fizzled on an interference call when the batter got drilled by Cervy's throw to first. Two outs later, a bopped batter did get the runner to second. Steven reared back and whiffed Tucker Barnhart. AM opened the 12th with a double; Jordy bounced to short and Meadows was cut down at third; neither guy showed much baseball IQ on the play; Jordy has to move him up and Austin has to not self-immolate. But all's well - J-Hay drilled a ball the opposite way and Jordy used the sweeping swipe slide to touch home, with Josh ending up at third. He stayed there.

Kyle Crick came in looking for the save, with Eli catching (Amore's hand is acting up after being smacked a few frames earlier). Bad start as Votto opened by yanking a double to right and a Scooter single put Reds on the corners. A fly left them there; Votto is not Billy Hamilton on the bases (Billy would have scored twice during the sequence that sent Votto to third). With an empty bench, the pitcher had to bat and Floro fanned. A walk loaded the bases, but Crick had one more out left in him, so RTJR.

Steven tossed two strong frames for the win (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Well, when the back end of the bullpen implodes and you strand 15 runners, taking home a victory is a good thing. The four game losing streak is snapped and the Bucs can take the series tomorrow afternoon, so the victory sets a lot of good things in motion; the Pirates are in need of a roll with the schedule that's around the bend.

Notes:

• Corey Dickerson ended an 0-for-12 run with four straight hits tonight. J-Hay also had four knocks, including the game-winning triple. Amore and Austin had two raps each, accounting for 12 of the 15 Bucco hits.
• Fran Cervelli's homer was his seventh, tying his career high - in May! He left the game in the 12th after injuring his hand/finger earlier in the game.
• It wasn't pretty, but it was Kyle Crick's first MLB save. Steven Brault got the win, his second from the pen this month.
• David Freese is 3-for-18 with seven K w/RISP. He does have five RBI, two on sac flies.
• The Reds put closer Raisel Iglesias on the DL with a biceps injury and activated Michael Lorenzen, who had been on the DL, for today's game.
• The Brew Crew won again this afternoon. They've taken six of their last seven games and eight of their last 10, and their 50-game record of 31-19 is the best start in franchise history. The Brewers are three games up on the St. Louis Cardinals and 3-1/2 ahead of the Pirates and Cubs going into tonight.
• Big props to Pitt - they took down the #1 seed in the ACC tournament, North Carolina, by a 5-4 count.