Bucs Hit Into Record Seven DPs, Lose Another 1-0 Game To Cubs

Ok - rained for three hours before the game and quite a while after, but hey, that didn't deter the Bucs. They announced an 8:50 start time, based on chicken entrails and Doppler. Whether by voodoo or science (or maybe another ploy to get Pirates pitcher some extra rest), they started 1:47 late.

Willy tossed a clean nine-pitch opener, with big props to J-Hay for a diving stop. Starling legged out a bunt, then Gregory walked before Freeser hit into an around-the-horn DP to make it easy on Cole Hamels. Anthony Rizzo started the second by flaring an opp field single. He was erased on a liner to third that caught him off base for a DP payback. Good thing as Kyle Schwarber took Trevor deep two pitches later, tucking a high heater a few feet inside the RF pole. That was followed by a 10-pitch walk that turned the order over. Cervy took a base after a foot bopping, and he was wiped off the paths by J-Bell's 5-4-3 DP for another no sweat frame for Hamels. It was an eight-pitch third for Willy. Hechy dumped a ball into right to lead off. Aggressive Cubby bunt D had Trevor swinging away; he bounced into a force. And guess what; a 4-6-3 DP ended the inning. Rizzo doubled with an out in the fourth and Schwarber walked with two gone in a work-around, but there was no scoreboard action. Starling was fed five pitches out of the strike zone but still K'ed before Gregory and Freeser swatted consecutive raps. Polanco swiped third as Cervy K'ed, and J-Bell flew out to the track.

Willie was on top of his game again (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Hamels opened the fifth with a roller up the middle. J-Hay muffed an inning-ending flip to second trying to shovel the ball with his mitt, but Williams got a pop to end it. It took eight pitches to put the bottom of the Bucco order away. Rizzo reached in the sixth when J-Bell dropped a throw to first, but a 6-4-3 DP made up for it and Willy sailed through. With one gone, Starling singled to right and yes, a 4-6-3 DP closed out the frame. Trevor spun a clean seventh, but at 99 pitches is done. Cervy drew a one-down walk before the Bucs' fifth DP, this one 6-4-3. Kyle Crick got the eighth and Ian Happ baptised him with a knock, moving to second on a grounder. But no further; he was cut down trying to swipe third. A single to right followed, so good timing as no damage was done. Brandon Kintzler grabbed the ball. J-Hay ripped one (100 MPH), but right at the Addison Russell at short. Red Beard banged a pinch hit single, with Kevin Newman coming in to run. Fraze grabbed a stick next and the Cubs answered with southpaw Jorge De La Rosa. Adam hit the inning's second at 'em ball, this one to second, and it turned into a DP that the Bucs challenged without luck on a bang bang call at first.

Keone Kela was waved in for the ninth. A one-out walk was followed by a comebacker; KK tossed it away to put Cubs on the corners. He atoned with a whiff and fly to keep it 1-0. The top of the order was up to face Steve Cishek, and Corey D opened with a rap. A wild pitch moved him up 90' and hopefully out of DP range. Starling K'ed; he didn't see a strike again. Jesse Chavez took the ball against Gregory and walked him. Well, you can guess how it ended - Freeser hit into a 5-3 DP.

Freeser & J-Bell both hit into a pair of DPs (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Well, that's five losses in a row, the last two by 1-0 scores. In a do-or-die series, the pitching has come up huge but the hitters... About time to see the kids play.

Notes:

• Starling had two hits with some of the ugliest at bats you'll ever see. Cervy reached twice without hitting a ball on a walk and bop.
• The Pirates tied the MLB record (SF Giants, 1969, Philadelphia Athletics, 1942) by hitting into seven double-plays in a nine inning game. The Cubs and Bucs set a new NL record by hitting into nine double-plays in a regulation game.
• Pittsburgh has gone 23 innings without scoring a run.
• The Texas Rangers chose 3B Sherten Apostel, 19, from the Pirates as the PTBNL in the Keone Kela trade. Apostel, signed out of Curacao, was hitting .259 for the short-season Bristol Pirates.
• Speaking of trades, we think the Bucs are going to try to retool Chris Archer. From 2012-14, he threw a four-seam fastball, slider, sinker and change, then ditched the sinker in 2015. We're thinking Uncle Ray will try to resurrect it to complement a sometimes flat heater. They may also try to add a curve as he's shown the hook a few times in his Bucco outings.  
• Chad Kuhl began soft-tossing (ie, playing catch) today, the first time he's thrown a ball in seven weeks.
• Jason Grilli was down on the field during warmups huggin' it up with his old mateys. He took the year off, so we'll see what his future holds.