Brewers Bomb Bullpen, Use Four Homers To Run Away 8-3

Ivan Nova started of with a nice, quick six-pitch inning, with glovely plays by Pablo and Red Beard. With two outs in the Bucco half, J-Bell took Jhouly Chacin's first pitch and sent it into the RC seats. A leadoff walk in the second was erased on an around-the-horn DP, and a pop ended it. Christian Yelich evened the books by robbing Pablo's laser to The Notch, and a walk ended up all the Bucco action, with some hard-hit balls and nice leatherwork going on early for both sides. It was 1-2-3 for the Brew Crew in the third; Chacin almost evened it up by lifting a ball into the windstream, but it was gathered in at the track. Fraze doubled with one gone and was stranded. Nova came back from 3-0 to fan Curtis Granderson to open the fourth. Yelich then banged a double onto the RF corner. A K was followed by an intention walk of lefty Travis Shaw; it backfired when Ryan Braun singled home the tying run before Mike Moustakas' comebacker. Cervy started the Bucs off with a knock and Corey D golfed a tight slider over the Clemente Wall to get the lead back. The rest of the frame went quietly. With one out in the fifth, Orlando Arcia dropped a bunt single. Eric Thames pinch hit, but before he got to swing, the rains came and he was replaced by a tarp.

photo: Pittsburgh Pirates

2-1/4 hours later, the game resumed with Ric Rod on the bump to face Tyler Saladino, as Craig Counsell decided to keep Thames in his back pocket for later. A whiff and a grounder later, the Bucs were up against Corbin Burnes. Fraze singled up the middle with an out and was caught stealing before Starling bounced out. Edgar Santana was called upon for the sixth and was greeted by a Yelich rap. Jesus Aguilar doubled him home on a catchable ball that Reyes lost at the wall; the Brewer was safe at third after the throw home when Cervy's peg was offline. Fran left the game after that toss with Eli Diaz taking over; no obvious sign of injury, so we'll see what type of discomfort the Pirates announce. It got worse; Travis Shaw homered over the short porch in right and Milwaukee had the lead. After running a 3-0 count on Braun; Santana also left the game with the trainer, again with no apparent trigger. Steven Brault came in and finished the walk.That was followed by a long ball served to Moustakas and another to Erik Kratz, sheesh. He got three of the next four to close out a nasty frame, and Josh Hader took the ball. After a pair of punch outs, sizzlin' Corey D drilled a triple into the RF corner, but Pablo joined the whiff parade on a borderline full-count strike.

Ivan was strong again before the rains fell (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Dovy Neverauskas climbed the bump in the seventh and got two outs (and an ejection as Shaw was yapping at the ump from the bench) before giving up yet another dinger, this one to Keon Broxton. After getting an out, Corey Knebel took the ball and fanned Joey O and K-Man. Clayton Holmes answered the eighth inning bell. he plunked Kratz, causing a little snarl, then Pablo made up for his misplay by running down a bullet by Arcia before a K and grounder put it to bed. Joakim Soria tossed next and walked Fraze. Starling hit into an around-the-horn DP. J-Bell dropped a bloop single after that,but Eli fanned. Holmes walked the first pair in the ninth before settling down. Jeremy Jeffress was waved in for the ninth, and nine pitches later the game was done.

Dunno what the Pirates did during the rain break, but we'd sure change that routine. What this does point out is the need for the Pirates to bolster the pen next season. The B-team isn't cutting it, and that'll hurt now, with just three A-Listers left, and they need a Frenchy LeBlanc or Joe Hudson type to anchor the long guys next year.

Notes:

• Fraze, J-Bell and Corey D had three hits; those guys are rakin' every day.
• Fran's stomach was acting up, ending his day. Edgar Santana's ache was more worrisome - it's the dreaded forearm/elbow "discomfort" symptom.
• Ric Rod's 85th K set a record for rookie Pirates relievers.
• Corey Dickerson's homer was his first since July 22nd.
• This was Eli's first appearance behind the plate this month following his hammy strain.
• The attendance was 19,243 for a rainy fireworks night.
• The Pirates announced their minor league PoY award winners: 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (Altoona- .293 BA) is Player of the Year and RHP JT Brubaker (Indy/Altoona 10-6/2.81) is the Pitcher of the Year.