Bucs Batter Giants 10-5

Fraze opened with a rap to right off Andrew Suarez, but his ol' matey Cutch tossed him out trying to stretch it and the rest of the frame went by quietly. Ivan Nova spun a clean, nine-pitch first round. Freeser singled to lead off the second and Eli yanked a two-strike hook at the knees into the stands to give Pittsburgh the early jump. It got better when J-Bell followed with another dinger on the next pitch. Suarez survived a couple of at 'em balls to close the frame. The Giants made no noise. Starling singled and stole second with an out in the third for the Bucco action. It was another perfecto for Ivan. J-Hay had a two-out rap in the fourth as Suarez has settled in. The G-Men took a two-out walk to end Nova's streak at 11 straight. Fraze rolled one into right with one gone in the fifth and went nowhere after Starling's rope to center was run down. Austin Slater opened with the Bay Boys' first knock and quickly scored on ol' Bucco Alen Hanson's triple. Another rap with an out cut the gap to one run. A wild pitch and grounder moved the runner to third but Ivan kept him there.

Can't slow the guy down... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Reyes Moronta toed the slab in the sixth; he benefited from a bit of robbery by Cutch on Eli's gapper as the Giants OF's have helped contain the Pirates so far. Nova lost Brandon Crawford with two gone after being ahead 0-2, but worked out of it with a whiff. Mark Melancon got the seventh inning call, and a boot let J-Hay reach to begin the frame. A misthrow followed to put Buccos at second and third. Corey D helped the Shark; he swung at ball four and his tapper froze the runners. Fraze picked him up by swatting a two-strike mistake pitch into left to plate Josh. A short wild pitch again put Bucs at second and third, but Starling's hopper to first got the Pirates another contact play out. Then a bit of luck; Gregory was jammed and dropped a dink into short left. Another run scored and yes, second and third yet again. No sweat this time; Derek Law came in and Freeser went yard on his second serving before the party broke up. Ric Rod was waved in and cruised.

The Bucs opened the eighth with a walk & knock, and Red Beard singled home a run an out later. Fraze's sac fly put up another point before the music ended. Dovy Neverauskas took the bump and worked a clean frame. Pierce Johnson took over in the ninth and watched Freeser reach second on a dropped fly ball after an out. Eli legged out a bleeder but J-Bell's 6-4-3 DP made it moot. Casey Sadler made his first appearance on a MLB hill since 2015. The first G-Man reached when J-Bell dropped a throw to first, followed by an infield knock on a weak roller; the BABIP gods are mischievous right now. A whiff & grounder left Giants on second and third, then back-to-back doubles spoiled the outing before Casey shut the door. Time to RTJR.

Welcome back, Casey! (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Nice way to start the set, even if it wasn't pretty (eight of the 15 runs scored were unearned)...now to take two of the next three.

Notes:

• Fraze had three hits; Freeser, Eli and J-Hay had a pair of raps. The Pirates went long three times (Freeser, Eli & J-Bell).
• J-Bell's homer was his first of the year from the right side.
• Starling's 28 stolen bases are second in MLB.
• It took a decade, but Freeser banged the 100th regular season homer of his career tonight.
• Ol' Pirates who are now Giants: Cutch, Alen Hanson, Gorkys Hernandez, Chase d'Arnaud, Mark Melancon & Tony Watson. Toss in reliever Derek Law, who is a Seton LaSalle HS grad from Beechview.
• The next big thing, Mitch Keller, has had a rough start after being promoted to Indy but got back on track tonight. He gave up a run on four hits and a walk with six whiffs over six innings in a 3-1 Tribe win.