Bucs Trip Over Selves, But Pitching & Fraze Rocked Steady For 2-1, 11-Inning Win To Split Set

The Cubs opened with a knock of Jamo, followed by a 6-4-3 DP; this has been a series of twin killings. That was followed by another single and steal, going to third when the throw got through Hechy. Then came a walk before a K put it to rest. Corey D dropped a single-and-error bunt to start it off against Jose Quintana and stayed anchored; Freeser ripped a ball, but right to short to end the frame. Kyle Schwarber worked the count full, laying off a couple of nice pitches, then was fed a center-cut slider that he crushed into the stands to begin the second. Quintana singled with an out as an added annoyance. Eli started with a liner that didn't stick in Javy Baez's glove for an error. With an out, Diaz was picked off, followed of course by a J-Hay double. Hechy walked before JT fanned. Jamo walked the first batter in the third then got another pitcher's helper, a 6-4-3 DP nicely started by Hechy, and cruised out. The Bucs went quietly, with Starling earning some boos for dogging a weak grounder after spinning his wheels getting out of the box. The fourth was clean for both JT and Q, with Eli's liner the only noisy out.

Jamo started it with eight K in six frames... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The first two Cubbies in the fifth whiffed, followed by a walk and a bounce out. It was 1-2-3 for Pittsburgh. Jamo gave up a sixth-inning rap but two more whiffs carried him through. Corey D opened with a single deflected by Quintana and Starling walked. Gregory doubled off the Clemente Wall to tie the game, and that brought on Carl Edwards Jr. Freeser's grounder to first got Marte thrown out at home (he had a miserable jump) on the contact play, leaving Bucs on the corners. Eli walked to jam the sacks, but J-Bell flew out to medium left; windmill Joey Cora opted to not tag Gregory (he said postgame that he almost went regardless) and it cost when J-Hay hit a can of corn to center. Pirate base running, sheesh. Edgar Santana tossed a quiet seventh. After a one-out Red Beard single, Justin Wilson took the hill and Kevin Newman ran for Moran. Wilson fanned Dickerson and Starling doubled; Newman was cut down out home and the Bucs challenged for a blocking the plate infraction. Willis Contreras did block it, but the rule hasn't been enforced for many moons and wasn't again; at least MLB is consistent that way.

Keone Kela got the eighth inning whistle. After two whiffs, Gregory played the third out into a double by turning the wrong way, followed by an intentional walk. No prob; KK picked up his third whiff to calm the waters. Steve Cishek was called in and sat the Pirates down on seven pitches. Felipe Vazquez took the ball for the ninth. After striking out the first pair of Cubs, Jason Heyward doubled but was left standing. J-Bell walked to open the Bucco half and Pedro Strop was beckoned to the bump. J-Hay wasted an out by bunting into a force but it evened out when Hechy walked. Fraze grabbed a stick and didn't have a chance to use it; he got bopped to pack the sacks. Dickerson rolled the next pitch to second and into a DP, yay team. The Cubs used a five man infield; the DP went 4-9-3. Ric Rod answered the 10th inning bell and tossed an easy frame. Starling flew out, losing his challenge with The Notch and Kyle Schwarber at the track. Gregory doubled and Freeser was plunked in the back on an 0-2 pitch. No diff; Eli and J-Bell were routinely retired to make the Bucs 1-for 11 w/RISP.

Ric Rod dodged some bullets to finish it... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

With an out in the 11th, the Cubs got a one-down ground rule double fielded by a fan, who may have given Addison Russell an extra base. An intentional walk and wild pitch put Cubbies at first and third. Make that first; Eli-to-Freeser picked a napping Russell off third on a set play. RR then walked the next batter, missing badly, and did the same to the next Baby Bruin to fill the bases. He K'ed Albert Almora Jr., catching a kindly corner call to escape. Brandon Kintzler toed the slab and got two easy outs. Then he fell behind Fraze 3-0, served him a meatball and yesterday's hero became today's man of the hour, too, when he crushed it to right center (414') onto the Riverwalk for a walk off tater. RTJR, *whew*.

Man, this team shot itself in the foot about a zillion times today, but great pitching and Fraze off the pine bailed them out to get a split with the Cubbies. Let's hope for a long outing tomorrow by Arch; can't be many miles left in the bullpen after this series.

Fraze was the big man again today... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Corey D and Gregory each had two hits; Hechy walked twice. 
• Bucco pitchers fanned 15 Cubs; of course, they walked seven, too.
• Wonder how often a team has been held to one run per game in a four-game set, with each run on a solo homer? Um, none until this series; the Bucs put the Cubs in the record book.
• Why no youth movement (ie, Kevin Newman) yet? Neal Huntington said on his radio show that "We are one hot stretch away from being right back into the wild card hunt" and said that Adeiny Hechavarria is "...an above average, major league shortstop, and he has been for years." The FO has advised Hurdle to put out "the lineup that gives us the best chance to win," so Clint will hang with the vets until he hears the Fat Lady. NH, like Clint, thinks the pitching foundation is set for the near futureThere were 24,283 in the park this afternoon.
• Ke'Bryan Hayes hurt his shoulder after stepping on his bat and taking an awkward stumble; no update yet on the severity of the injury.