Bucs Break Fast From the Gate, Bang Reds 7-3

Big Joe had a fairly peaceful first, giving up two-out flair to Joey Votto while picking up a couple of whiffs. And what's new? - Fraze doubled with an out off Cody Reed, and Gregory singled him to third. A Cervy knock chased Fraze home. Joey smoked a laser to third straight into a glove; Gregory was doubled off second. Two more Reds went down swinging in a 1-2-3 second, and the Bucs were also quiet. Cincy was retired in order in the third. Starling rolled over but legged out a soft roller to third with one gone and Fraze walked. The small ball runners both scored on Gregory's two-bagger into the RF corner. Fran's infield rap and a double steal set the table again; Joey O came through with a sac fly before the fun ended. Nine pitches took care of the Redlegs in the fourth. Pablo Reyes beat out a grounder in the hole; it was his first MLB hit. He was bunted up and trotted home ahead of Starling's long fly. Cincy got into the infield knock game with one out in the fifth and was wild-pitched up a station but J-Grove cruised through. Joey O singled with two away for the Bucco noise, after 3B Eugenio Suarez made a nice diving stop and strong throw from his knees of J-Low's ball up the line to end the inning.

Big Joe struggled at the end but still had 8 K tonight (photo Pgh Pirates)

The Reds went three up, three down in the sixth with Jordy climbing the ladder to snag a soft liner. Matt Wisler replaced Reed and had an easy time against the bottom of the order. Scooter Gennett nixed the shutout bid when he drove a hung change up well over The Clemente Wall with an out in the seventh. Suarez dinked a single into center, followed by another knock on a fat 0-2 fastball. Those couple of mistake pitches brought Ric Rod to the bump, and a walk jammed the bases. A bopped batter - on a 1-2 pitch - brought home a second run. A whiff followed by a testy 12-pitch battle with Mason Williams that ended in a ground out kept the lead comfortable. Michael Lorenzen took the ball and after two well-struck outs, Gregory's swinging bunt was hustled into a knock; baseball gods are perverse deities. A bouncer ended it. Kyle Crick gave up Gennett's second homer, golfing a 3-1 sinker to make it 6-3 in the eighth, with the last out coming on a 365' bullet to J-Low in left. Jordan singled with an out and Pablo banged a hung slider off The Clemente Wall to bring J-Low home and pad the lead. Felipe took the ball in the ninth and tucked the Reds away. RTJR.

Nice to see a couple of days of some offense, even if it's against the sad-sack Red's staff. Looks like Clint is going to mix two or three young 'uns in the lineup this month, so everyone should get an audition under the bright lights. And hey, they've already clinched the set, their first series win since early August against the Rockies; they haven't swept a series since late July when they broomed the Reds. They can do that again tomorrow with Jamo going against Homer Bailey.

Pablo admires his first MLB knock (photo Pgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Gregory had three hits; Starling, Cervy and Pablo had two each. Big day for Pablo's scrapbook - first start, first hit, first x-tra base hit, first run scored & first RBI plus he handled all three chances at the hot corner w/o a bobble.
• Starling's homer was the first not hit by Fraze or Gregory since August 15th, when Eli Diaz went long. 
• Ric Rod had stranded 20 straight inherited runners before tonight.
• Another slow night at the gate; 8,855 ducats were sold, the season's low-water mark.
• Clint said the Pirates were unsure if Eli would return from his hammy pull before the season ended, and called Ryan Lavarnway up to join Jake Stallings as Fran's caddies. Of course, Ryan also has MLB time and hit .288 with nine homers at Indy, which should be reasons enough.
• Kevin Kramer will see action at second and third, per Clint, who doesn't want to juggle him to much in his first visit to the bigs. Third is an interesting call; we wonder if he or Joey O will get some time as Red Beard's platoon partner? The ol' skipper used Pablo Reyes tonight, so it has the makings of quite a traffic jam for PT.