The Rain, the Park and Other Things...Cardiac Kids Rally Twice To Broom Brewers 7-6

J-Grove spun a clean first; Gregory reached against Jhoulys Chacin on a two-out error with no damage done. Milwaukee grabbed their first lead of the series when Travis Shaw yanked a change into the RF stands to leadoff the second. The Bucs were quiet again. The Brew Crew went down in order in the third. J-Grove got aboard on another Brewski error that hurt when Corey D dug out an 0-2 slider at his shin and knocked it over the Clemente Wall to put Pittsburgh up 2-1 after three frames. After a K in the fourth, Jesus Aguilar was plunked in the upper arm and then singled to third with two away, but the Brewers died on the corners. There was not a Pirates peep again. J-Grove cruised through the 7-8-9 end of the order in the fifth. Jordy got plunked (both sides are even w/no warnings. Play ball!) with an out and was bunted to second, moving no further. J-Hay pulled up lame running out a ball (hammy "discomfort"); Mad Max is the new 2B.

Freeser Clutch #1 (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Christian Yelich smoked a double with an out in the sixth and was wild pitched to third. Aguilar walked after a nine pitch contest. Joe got a pop, but Tyler Saladino drilled a single to left to knot the score. The Bucs went quietly; Chacin got the first out and then the All-Star closer, Josh Hader, came on to get the final two. With an out in the seventh, Erik Kratz singled on a come-backer deflected by J-Grove on a ball that should have probably been an out, but the play didn't come back to bite the Bucs. Hader, who hasn't been used in the series until today, struck out the side on 13 pitches. The Brewers started the eighth with a knock and a walk (squeezed). A fly moved the lead runner to third, followed by a K and a walk. At 105 pitches, Clint stuck with J-Grove, but he was a bridge too far - Brett Phillips, just called up today, tripled the sacks clean on the first pitch to make it 5-2. It took Ric Rod one toss to end the frame, but a batter too late.

Jeremy Jeffress took the ball. Corey D doubled with two outs and Starling brought him home with an excuse-me knock into right. Corey Knebel came on to face Gregory. Marte stole second before Polanco walked. Knebel gave Eli a pretty fat 0-2 fastball, but Diaz was on top of it and grounded out. Steven Brault got the ninth inning call. A two-base error put him in a bit of a jam; Eli got him out of it by throwing out Lorenzo Cain trying to steal third. That allowed Steven to escape with a zero, even with a following rap. Red Beard and J-Bell singled to open the frame and Mad Max walked to pack the sacks. Bummer alert: Jordy rolled into an around-the-horn DP, making it 5-4 and putting the game in Freeser's hands. And good hands they were; he fell behind 0-2, dodged some chin music and then drilled a game-tying triple the opp way, taking a big hop off the wall in right center. A grounder took it to overtime.

J-Bell Clutch #2 (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Tanner Anderson of the big leg kick, called up today for the second time, came on in the 10th. The Brew Crew started with a walk and bunt, followed by another walk. Then a single made it 6-5, but Anderson stopped it there. Taylor Williams came on. He got a line out from Starling before Gregory singled. Eli, who's had a rough day, popped out foul to first. Lefty Dan Jennings was waved in to face Colin as it began to rain and thunder. Play on, said the ump, and Red Beard and J-Bell proved to be sturdy mudders; Moran singled Gergory to third and Josh banged a double.The relay beat Moran to the plate (no surprise there) but with the field damp and the rain coming down in sheets, the ball skipped past the catcher and you can RTJR as the Bucs came all the way back to take a 7-6 victory.

Give the team credit; not only did they play to the last out, but they had to overcome some very kid glove managing/planning. Clint and the FO were apparently counting on J-Grove tossing a complete game as it seems the entire bullpen was in vacation mode even with the All-Star break of four days starting tomorrow. Brault, Willy & Anderson were the pen; Ric Rod got one batter and Edgar Santana/Kyle Crick should have been available though they did work 3-of-4 days and we guess that took them down. Of course, it may have been moot if Jordy hit a ball in the air in the ninth. Ah well, a win, no matter how crooked the road taken, is a win. Enjoy the holiday, guys.

Notes:

• Corey D had the first two hits; J-Bell and Colin Moran joined him with a pair of raps later.
• The Pirates are first MLB team since the NY Yankees in 2006 to take a five-game sweep.
• Tanner Anderson won his first MLB game in his second appearance.
• Freeser hit his first triple since 2014 when he was with the Angels.
• There were 17,583 at PNC Park today.
• Austin Meadows was optioned back to Indy and they recalled Tanner Anderson. Clay Holmes, as the 26th man yesterday, was also sent down.
• On his Sunday radio chat, Neal said part of Austin Meadow's playing time problems were that the other three guys are playing better than he is, which hard to argue against. It especially makes sense to showcase Corey D if he's the odd man out down the road. Still, Meadows told Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic that he was confused (behind a paywall) over his whole situation in Pittsburgh; apparently clubhouse communication leaves something to be desired.

Bye-bye for the time being (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

• NH added that he doesn't believe Cervy's concussion problems are career-threatening, but did say questions about his future are legitimate.
• Tough week for the Brewers all around: Jonathan Villar was placed on the 10-day DL with a thumb injury.
• Today's game takes the Bucs into the All-Star break. They return to action Friday night in Cincinnati to begin a three-game series against the Reds.