Willy and the Po' Boys Shut Down Redbirds 2-0

Fraze singled with an out and moved up when the ball was mishandled (he was credited with a double, go figure). Cervy worked a pro 10-pitch walk with two away, and Corey D followed with an infield knock to jam the bases. A J-Bell fly to center eased Miles Mikolas out of the jam at the cost of 31 tosses. A walk and double got Willy in quick hot water, but a pop snared very nicely over-the-shoulder by Fraze between whiffs calmed the waters. Mikolas struck out the side in the second. Williams couldn't quite keep up; he only fanned a pair in a clean frame. The Bucs got a two-out Gregory knock in the third but no more action. The Cards worked a walk with an out, quickly erased on a DP - both guys are dealing, with five K's each. J-Bell singled off a glove with an out in the fourth; Red Beard hit into a twin killing. The Redbirds stranded a two-out two-bagger. The Bucs opened the fifth with a Jordy double; a bunt and bloop knock by Starling produced a run. Fraze's hit-and-run rap and Gregory's knock chased Marte home before the music stopped. Willy tossed a shut-down frame.

Willy just keeps putting up zeros... (photo Joe Guzy/Pirates)

With an out in the sixth and Chasen Shreve on the bump, Moran singled and was erased on a Jordy around-the-horn DP. Willy began to labor a bit, giving up a knock and one-out walk but gritted up to get out of it. He was hit for in the seventh, with a three-hit, three-walk whitewash and eight whiffs after 92 pitches for his line. Domenic Leone got the Bird call and survived a boot to put up another zippo. Edgar Santana toed the slab and followed a one-away muff by Red Beard by a bopped batter, but got a big 3-2 whiff and pop to cruise out. Brett Cecil worked the eighth; Corey D got an infield single/bad throw combo to reach second with an out. A pair of whiffs nullified that misadventure. Keone Kela was waved in and gave up a single that never advanced. Carlos Martinez got the ninth inning and after two soft outs escaped Starlings loud laser to center that was hauled in. Felipe Vazquez gave up a double after two were away, delaying the win by a batter. RTJR.

Willy has been amazing since the break, and the Bucco bullpen has rocked steady. The Redbirds were 0-for-9 w/RISP, but that's a little misleading as they had just one runner reach third. The bats are still slumbering, but tonight for once it wasn't an issue. A little small ball paid off, using a bunt, bloop and hit-and-run to generate the runs.

Notes:

•  Fraze, El Coffee and Corey D each had a pair of knocks as the Pirates collected 10 hits, with nine runners LOB.
• Trevor Williams set a career high with eight strikeouts tonight. 
• J-Hay pinch hit and hobbled going down the line; we're not sure why the Bucs don't let the guy sit awhile to save his hammy. It's tough to showcase someone who's hopping around on one leg.
• Matt Carpenter left the game in the fourth inning; the Cards said he was nauseous, cause unknown.
• Chad Kuhl tossed off the slope of the mound today; the next step in his recovery will be controlled bullpen sessions.
• Austin Meadows had three homers tonight for AAA Durham, giving him 10 in 27 games with the Rays' top affiliate, and he's batting over .320. He went 4-for-4 and was rewarded by being plunked with a high heater, causing a bench-clearing brawl.