Pirates Left At the Gate In 7-2 Loss

A walk to Goldy and a S-Rod throwing error sandwiched around a two-out David Peralta triple plated a pair of Arizona runs off Joe Musgrove before the Bucs got to the bat rack; these first innings have been brutal. After Zack Greinke got Austin Meadows on a bouncer, the tarps came out - the game started during a drizzle with ominous gray clouds rolling overhead. The delay didn't last long (25 minutes) as it was just one bad boy cell floating by to annoy the grounds crew. Starling singled between whiffs for a quiet start. Both sides went down without a peep in the second. A walk and infield rap with one out got the Snakes back in business in the third; Peralta's double chased another run home. An intentional walk packed the sacks and a single off the wall - the runners had to hold up to see if Starling could run it down - brought home another tally despite a strong effort by Marte. Nada again for the Pirates.

Eli is picking up where Amore left off (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Arizona opened the fourth with back-to-back doubles by Greinke and Jon Jay. After the D-Back at bats, the rain started again and the tarps were rolled out again. After a lengthier hold up, the Bucs again went down in order. Ric Rod tossed a clean fifth; Joey O got in and was sent to third, his first MLB game at the hot corner. Eli led off with a flare single but went nowhere. Rodriguez poured it on in the sixth, striking out the side to give him five whiffs in two frames. Corey D got bopped with two outs for the Bucco doings. Goldy brought Ric Rod back to reality by leading off the seventh with a homer, but RR recovered to get the next trio. TJ McFarland got the ball and gave up a rap to Eli with one gone.A grounder moved him up and Jordy knocked him home.

Michael Feliz got the eighth inning call and sat the Snakes down. Corey D beat the rap for a two-out infield knock; Archie Bradley was handed the ball and two pitches later, the inning was over. 'Zona opened the ninth with a walk and infield hit. An out later, a single sent another Snake home before a second walk filled the bases. A liner to first almost became a DP; the Bucs challenged the tag call and won (J-Bell did slap it on him, completing a nice play) for some cold comfort. Jake Barrett was sent in to turn out the lights. Jacob Stallings greeted him with a knock, moved up a station on a bleeder and tallied on J-Bell's rap.

Ric Rod had a nice, if extended, outing (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Another lifeless performance. If they don't find a spark soon, it's going to be a very long summer until Steeler camp.

Notes:

• Eli had two of the Bucs seven hits.
• S-Rod didn't have much of a bobblehead celebration - he went 0-for-3 to drop his average to .149, whiffed twice, made an error and was the last out of the game.
• Today's attendance was 21,121.
• The Pirates are 36-40. They've lost five-of-six, 23 of 33 and are just five games ahead of the last-place Reds.
• Jung-Ho Kang is back in Indy's lineup after missing a couple of days with a wrist injury.