Welcome Home: Buccos Blasted 17-5

The Bucs started with a J-Hay boot, but an out later Trevor Williams got a 3-6-1 DP ball in the rare (for Pittsburgh) twin killing begun by a first baseman. After two soft outs against Nick Pivetta, Gregory dropped a two-bagger into center and Red Beard bounced one up the middle to plate him. Eli walked behind him. Corey D added another knock, but Moran was cut down at home; Joey Cora was very aggressive and Colin was very slow. The Phils got a leadoff walk in the second with a single added an out later. With two gone, Maikel Franco doubled both runners home. J-Hay got bopped to open the Bucco half and Willy walked an out later; J-Bell bounced into a DP. The Phils started the third with a plunk, no doubt payback, followed by a walk and a first-pitch homer by Odubel Herrera. A liner was snagged, followed by two more raps and in came Steven Brault. He walked a guy and tossed a wild pitch but escaped the bases-loaded pickel.

Willy was chased early; his ERA is now 4.60
(photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Bucs had an ugly but effective reply. Gregory K'ed on a wild pitch and made it to first. Red Beard bounced to short; the throw to second was bad and Pirates ended up on second and third. A grounder and a Corey D knock, after a dozen-pitch duel, brought them both home. J-Hay singled with two gone, and the Phils called on Austin Davis, who got Jordy on a pop. A single opened the Phils fourth, but Steven speared a screamer in self defense and got a couple of flies to TCB. J-Bell doubled with an out and Starling singled him home, then swiped second. The Bucs couldn't cash him in, but it is 5-4 now. Philly picked up another HBP in the fifth but no runs. Corey went the opposite way with a two-strike slider and tripled, bringing on Edubray Ramos. And then, TOOTBLAN, he broke home on J-Hays weak grounder to third and was gunned down by a mile, maybe on a contact play but prob on his own. Joey Cora has had a tough streak at third both today and lately. Josh stole second but Jordy's fly left him there.

Corey D had three hits, along with J-Hay (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Ric Rod got the ball in the sixth and gave a bunt single with one away, then a four-pitch walk and yet another free pass after being up 1-2. A first pitch sac fly brought home an insurance run; a wild pitch moved the other two runners. Another walk loaded 'em up again; a tapper to the hill looked like it ended it, but the Phils challenged the out call and won. It wasn't a great throw by Rodriguez nor very good footwork by Bell and it cost. Dovy Neverauskas was waved on - Ric Rod used up 28 pitches - and got a whiff. Tommy Hunter took the ball. Starling singled and stole third after a Gregory walk, but no cash in. The first Phil walked in the seventh, followed by a two knocks and a run. Josh Smoker got a turn and gave up a two-run double on his first pitch. An out later, Andrew Knapp homered on a 3-2 fastball. It's 14-4 now if you're a mercy rule fan. No damage in the eighth either way; the Phil's tacked on three more off Tyler Glasnow in the ninth on a single and three doubles. J-Hay doubled in a last Buc tally before the lights went off.

This team is playing John Russell bad right now.

Notes:

• Corey D and J-Hay had three hits; Starling added a pair. The Pirates scored five times and still stranded 13 runners.
• 2-1/3 IP was the shortest start of Willy's career and the Pirates' second straight game that a starter couldn't get through the third inning, yay for the off day. Brault and Pivetta combined for a total of five innings, giving up eight runs on ten hits with four walks, two bopped batters, a wild pitch and two charged errors behind them. 
• Starling stole his 201th base, putting him in ninth place on the all-time Pittsburgh list, one ahead of Ginger Beaumont and five behind Frank Taveras, who holds down the eight spot.
• There were 24,846 at tonight's game, with a goodly number being happy Philly fans.
• Tonight's game lasted exactly 4-1/2 hours and was the longest nine inning game in both Pirates and Phillies history. It tied the NL mark.