Bullpen Finally Cracks; Bravos Rally Late For 5-3 Win

Fraze slapped a single to left with an out off Kevin Gausman, then stole second with two gone before Cervy's flair was gloved on a dive by Ronald Acuna Jr. to prevent any damage. Arch tossed a clean opener. It was 1-2-3 for Pittsburgh in the second; ditto for Atlanta. Starling singled with two gone in the third and was left aboard. Dansby Swanson put up an 11-pitch fight before being called out in a clean frame for Arch. Cervy got plunked with an out in the fourth, but was gunned down trying to steal and a whiff put it to bed. Acuna walked to give the Bravos their first runner; he never moved off the base. Red Beard singled with an out in the fifth; he and K-Man ended up on second and third after the Bravos threw away a force play at second for the third time this series. Arch grounded out, but Starling picked him up, scorching a two-run two-bagger off the RF fence. It was another calm frame from the Braves. Gregory led off the sixth by crushing a fat 2-1 fastball 435' over the CF wall. J-Bell tried to match him but his ball was corraled 400' away at the wall to end the inning. Dansby Swanson opened with a double off Moran's glove; most 3B would have eaten it up (it could have been ruled an error as easily as a hit), and Acuna singled him home with two outs.

Arch looked good tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Sam Freeman got the call for the seventh and after getting two outs, former Bucco farmhand Shane Carle took the ball and got pinch-hitter J-Hay on a bouncer. Ric Rod toed the slab and struck out the side. Gregory made it interesting by whiffing on a two-out fly that ultimately didn't cause any harm. Carle got Marte to bounce out to start the eighth, then Johnny Venters was waved in. He got Fraze on a 390' screamer to center; too bad the Bucs don't turn on the ball a little more. Gregory grounded out and Keone Kela climbed the hill. Swanson was the leadoff man and made it 3-2 with one swing, yanking it over the LF fence. Next, Lucas Duda doubled; pinch runner Lane Adams tagged to third on Acuna's fly out. He struck out Ender Inciarte. Unfortunately, it was a buried curve that became a wild pitch, scoring a run and putting Inciarte on first. He stole second and came in on Freddy Freeman's opp field double. Kyle Crick was called in and gave up a knock to leave Bravos on the corners. He tossed an 0-2 heater down the middle, and the resulting shortish sac fly, with Freeman just beating Cervy's tag, put the Bucs in a bigger hole. AJ Minter closed it out cleanly as the Bucs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory tonight.

The promising part was Arch's start; the downer was the bullpen implosion, although those guys can't put up zeros forever. Kela was hurt by a curve that Cervy couldn't block and a double that just bounced inside the opposite foul line. The Bucs managed just five hits, with two of the three runs due to a Bravo error. The offensive deep freeze doesn't provide much safety net for the pen, and that hurts as much as the occasional off night by the relief corps. Another note is the continuing poor play in the field; the outfield is talented but takes plays off for some reason, while the infield, well...

Starling provided whatever spark the attack showed (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Starling had two of the Bucs five hits. He was the only Pirate to reach base twice; Pittsburgh drew no walks.
• Arch worked solely out of the stretch tonight. Theoretically, it simplifies a pitcher's delivery mechanics, and we'll see if that becomes a thing with Archer. It worked out pretty good on it's first test drive although his command was still less than pinpoint.
• Gregory Polanco matched his season career-high with 22 homers, done in 2016.
• Matt Capps stopped by the broadcast booth tonight and took some questions from the fans.