Bats Wake Up Too Late; Brewers Even Series With 3-2 Win

Milwaukee opened with a swinging bunt bingle by Lorenzo Cain and he scored an out later when Jesus Aguilar sent a hung 3-2 slider out of the yard. The first frame is Jamo's worst; he's been tagged for 10 runs in 15 starts. He alternated the hits with whiffs. Starling reached second with two gone after Eric Thames muffed his fly, but Freddy Peralta got a liner to center to close it down. The Brew Crew got a triple off another slider in the second with one away (it wasn't very well played by Marte, who had a shot at the catch), but two more K solved the problem. The Pirates made not a peep in their half. Cain and Aguilar were at it again in the third; Lorenzo legged out another infield knock and Jesus doubled him home. The Bucs were again silent. The Brewers got a single in the fourth and the Pirates collected two hits but no real threats arose. Milwaukee got a knock and a walk in the fifth but no markers. No noise from the Buc bats once again.

Ty was solid again (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

In the sixth Tyler Glasnow took over for Jamo, who was already at the 100-pitch mark after seven hits and seven whiffs. A strikeout, single and 6-4-3 DP made for a calm frame; the Pirates didn't cause any trouble either. The seventh opened with an infield rap; Ty whiffed a couple more to put up another zero. Dan Jennings took the hill; with two outs, a J-Bell walk and Gregory bloop put Buccos on the corners, bringing in Jeremy Jeffress. Jordy banged a double in greeting to plate Bell. Austin Meadows grabbed a bat and went down chasing a sinker. Edgar Santana climbed the bump and fanned two in a clean eighth. With two Buccos gone, Starling whacked a first-pitch heater up in the zone and planted it in the RCF seats to make it 3-2. Kyle Crick was waved on for the ninth and 1-2-3'ed the Brew Crew. Corey Knebel took the ball and lost Gregory with two outs. Knebel went fastball only to Jordy and blew the fifth one past him to close out the night.

Well, if Lorenzo Cain hit the ball a little harder, things would have been different, but... One thing the Pirates can take from the first two games is they're not overmatched when the bullpen is on and that they can get to the Brew Crew's top-notch relief corps. Tomorrow night should be a good one.

Notes:

• The Pirates had just five hits; Gregory was the only Bucco to reach twice with a knock and a walk.
• Austin Meadows has a sore right foot after a Sunday foul ball and isn't quite 100% yet.
• Steven Brault sang the National Anthem and did a great job of it.
• Tonight's paid attendance at PNC Park was 14,152.
• Jung-Ho Kang went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a caught stealing while playing third for Indy tonight.
• LHP Enny Romero is moving on to Indy from Altoona to continue his rehab.