Indy Staff Banged By Birds In 11-5 Shellacking

The Bucs got a Starling walk and a Cervy knock off Miles Mikolas, but a very undisciplined K by Corey D squelched the threat. Matt Carpenter walked to open, getting the Joey Votto strike zone, followed by a bloop single dropped into right. A roller moved the Birds up, and Big Joe left a cutter down the middle; it was spanked for a double and quick 2-0 Card lead. Mikolas whiffed the side in the second; Musgrove fanned a pair in his half. The Pirates went quietly in the third, tho they did end their strikeout streak at five straight. J-Grove tossed a clean frame. J-Bell led off the fourth with a double and Corey D singled him home an out later. Red Beard's rap put Buccos on the corners, but the Kevins couldn't cash in with a pop and an at 'em ball to right. Two more Redbirds were punched out in their frame. Both sides went down quietly in the fifth.J-Bell opened the sixth with a hustle hit on a bullet knocked down at short; he was originally rung up but the Bucs won a challenge. A forceout and Dickerson 4-6-3 DP made the argument moot. Carpenter broke up Big Joe's 14-in-a-row retired streak with a rap, followed by a walk, squeezed again and in trouble again. A single to left packed the sacks. A K eased the pressure; a wild pitch (J-Grove buried a change that came up and bounded off Cervy's gear) overcame the good work, and that was followed by a sac fly to make it 4-1.

The game fell apart after Big Joe departed (image Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Pirates responded with a 1-2-3 seventh. Michael Feliz, who hasn't tossed in the show for three weeks, took the hill. He got a K before giving up a single, and for some reason Clint waved in Steven Brault for a lefty matchup with Greg Garcia, who was replaced by righty Tyler O'Neill. Too many wheels spinning, Mr. Hurdle. Brault walked the bases loaded and Tanner Anderson was waved in; he immediately threw a wild pitch. A K, intentional walk and fly out shut the lights. Bud Norris took the ball in the eighth and the Bucs didn't make a sound. Nick Burdi, the Rule 5 guy, came on for his first MLB appearance. He gave up a one-out single and walk, then Moran booted a ball to let a run in. Burdi fell behind O'Neill 3-0, fed him a juicy heater and served up a NASA launch 457' blast, bringing on Clay Holmes. Colin couldn't handle another grounder - originally ruled an error, it was changed to a single - followed by, guess what, a wild pitch. A double chased a run home, a single put Cards on the corners and a sac fly brought in another tally. A knock and a K ended it. Luke Weaver grabbed a mop; Ryan Lavarnway and Corey D two-baggers plated a run; another scored on Krame's single. K-Man doubled home his Indy mate, J-Low walked and Fraze doubled home Newman. John Brebbia took the ball and put it to an end.

We sure hope Clint doesn't get carried away with all these arms in the bullpen; the whole avalanche started when he pulled Feliz for no discernible reason. Of course, six walks and three wild pitches don't help the cause any. That goes back to the fundamentals that this club needs; September would be a good time to try to emphasize them while the whole gang is in Pittsburgh.

Notes:

• Corey D had two hits and two RBI today; J-Bell had a pair of knocks also. 
• The Pirates have thrown 88! wild pitches this year; no other staff in the majors has reached 80 yet. Pittsburgh has seven pitchers with five or more wild ones. The catchers have been pretty good, tho (or scorers hate on Bucco pitchers, take your pick) - their eight passed balls is way down on the league list.
• Kyle Glaser of Baseball America wrote about Austin Meadows' transition to the Tampa system, mentally and physically. It's going pretty good, btw. (spoiler alert: article is from last week).
• Jamo has an impressive 18-game streak of giving up three runs or less, but he picked the wrong year to post it. Tonight, the Mets Jacob deGrom tossed his 26th consecutive start with three or fewer runs allowed to set the new MLB mark.