That's Why You Play All Nine Innings: Bucco Rally Earns A 5-3 Win

Austin Meadow opened with a knock off Zack Wheeler (literally; it deflected off his glove). Two outs later, Colin Moran bled another infield knock but Eli couldn't cash them in, bouncing out to short. Ivan Nova was touched for a two-out two-bagger but no problems developed. The Buccos whiffed twice in the second; the Metros went quietly also. No noise in the third for the Pirates. Ivan plunked the eight hitter, who was bunted up. He was a pitch away from escaping, but Joey Bats drilled a two-out, two-strike four-seamer into right for a double, followed by an Asdrubal Cabrera two-strike bouncer into left to make it 2-0, both off fastballs away that the Mets punched where pitched. Wheeler made it 10 in a row in the fourth and Ivan cruised too. Corey D opened the fifth with a rap and Gregory walked. A soft roller by Jordy moved them up. Nova went down on three pitches and it took five more to sit AM down.

Colin Moran had a pair of raps (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Again the eight-hole guy proved a pest when Amed Rosario opened with a double and was sacrificed to third. Ivan kept him there with a whiff and then got Bautista to find a glove to strand Rosario. Red Beard singled with two away in the sixth; Eli whiffed. Wilmer Flores smacked a heater tossed down Broadway over the fence to make it 3-0. Gregory singled with an out in the seventh; Jordy hit into an around-the-horn DP. Tyler Glasnow tossed a quiet frame as his one walk was erased trying to steal. Robert Gsellman took the torch from Wheeler in the eighth and Starling said hi with a pinch hit double, then stole third. AM's sac fly got the Bucs on the board. J-Bell singled and Tim Peterson was waved in, closing it down without breaking a sweat. Felipe Vazquez toed the slab (they didn't use him in yesterday's extra-inning game; go figure). He put up a zippo, yielding a hit.

Jeurys Familia came on in the ninth and gave up an 0-2 roller up the middle to Eli, who scampered to third on Corey D's 0-2 rap to right. Gregory followed with a two-strike grounder into right (he had a huge hole as the Mets were playing for the DP in an anti-shift of sorts), plating Diaz and sending Dickerson to third. Jordy drew a four-pitch walk to jam the sacks. Anthony Swarzak answered the phone and David Freese grabbed a stick. Freeser dropped the horsehide softly into right on the first pitch to plate a pair and chase Jordy to third. AM K'ed on three pitches, a big out for the Mets, but J-Bell brought the insurance tally home with a sac fly. J-Hay added a knock, and Clint opted to let Felipe bat, his first plate appearance as a Bucco, and he went down on three pitches. He was in the odd position of saving his own win, and though Felipe fell behind every batter, he worked a 1-2-3 frame. RTJR!

Felipe got the six-out win (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Red Beard, Corey D and El Coffee each had a pair of knocks
• In the last nine games, the Pirates have scored two or fewer runs five times; they've pushed across more than three runs twice. They won those two games, plus a 1-0 squeaker, over that span.
• God helps those and vice versa: Ivan Nova has gone 0-for-29 at the plate this season and is hitless in his last 56 at bats.
• The Pirates are off tomorrow; they play next in San Diego over the weekend.
• RHP Mitch Keller (9-2, 2.72 at Altoona) has been promoted to Indy, so now he's just a step away. Other Indians' news: Jung-Ho Kang (wrist) and Chris Bostick (appendicitis) have been placed on the minor league seven-day DL.
• Altoona OF Jason Martin was promoted to Indy; he's hitting .325 for the Curve.