Reds Still Bad, Bucs Roll To 8-4 Win

Fraze opened the game with a flare oppo-field double and Starling walked. After a whiff, Corey doubled Fraze home and Eli's sac fly brought in Marte against Anthony Sclafani before the third out, a fly to the LF track by Red Beard. The Reds started with an infield knock and a walk an out later, but two K's by Nick Kingham closed it out for a rare scoreless first inning. The bottom of the Pirates order went down meekly in the second. A leadoff rap was bunted to second, followed by a two-out walk, but a rollover grounder got Nick to the dugout. The top of the Bucco order was just as quiet in the third. Joey Votto dinked a double down the line with an out and moved up on a grounder. He jogged home after Eugenio Suarez tagged a slider that hung mid-plate into the seats in dead center to tie it up. That was followed by a triple and intentional walk before fanning Sclafani. Eli regained the lead in the fourth when he was served a hung 3-2 slider that he drilled into the second deck in left. Billy Hamilton robbed Krame of extra bases/maybe homer via a leaping catch at the wall, with degree of difficulty added after crashing into teammate Phil Ervin, who was also all over Kramer's drive.

Colin had the hot stick tonight (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Hamilton started up the Reds with a single, and a soft roller moved him along. After a fly, Steven Brault was waved in to face Votto; The King is at 76 pitches. Votto walked on a full count as Hamilton stole third. Then Votto stole second, but a comebacker ended the threat. So far, the Reds have left eight runners on base. Nada from the Bucs in the fifth. With one gone, Tucker Barnhart got his third hit; it went off Brault's glove then kicked off the second base bag. Steven whiffed his way out of the inning. Wandy Peralta was called in for the sixth, and the Bucs opened with three raps that all went off infielder's gloves. Matt Wisler took the ball and after a whiff, Colin's sac fly and Krame's single plated a pair to put the Bucs up 5-2. With two away for the Redlegs, back-to-back knocks and a relay error left runners at second and third before a gentle bouncer closed the door. JHK led off the seventh and lined the second pitch into left for a knock. Starling doubled him to third an out later and Amir Garrett took the bump. J-Bell smoked an at 'em ball to second and Corey fanned to strand the pair. Ric Rod gave up a lead off single followed by a bunt knock, but a 6-4-3 DP and whiff (on a generous call, thank u) burst the Reds balloon.

Jesus Reyes was waved on in the eighth and Colin launched homer #11 off him. The Kevins chipped in when Krame's single was misplayed by Hamilton, allowing him to reach second, and he scored from there on K-Mans oppo field rap that ticked off Votto's mitt. After the smoke cleared, Michael Feliz got the next trip to the mound, fanning a pair with a walk in a calm frame. Raisel Iglesias made ninth inning appearance, and a walk and error put him a one-out hot water. He almost escaped before a two-out rap by Red Beard brought home Starling. Dovy Neverauskas toed the slab. With one away, a single and Barnhart's fifth hit, a homer this time (he's a double shy of the cycle), made it 8-4. Dovy then finished it off. RTJR.

Steven went 2-1/3 IP for the win (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Reds...well. They stranded 13 runners and fielded like their gloves were forged at Riverfront Steel. Still, nothing like rolling into next season with a head of steam.The team kept it's head up throughout September (15-9) when they could have easily laid down and gave the FO a fair chance to evaluate what they have and what they need for next year.

Notes:

• Four Pirates had two hits - Colin Moran (three RBI), Starling Marte (three runs scored), Corey Dickerson and Kevin Kramer.
• Steven Brault got the win to go 6-3.
• With their 81st win, the Bucs sewed up a winning record for the first time since 2015. Clint is also one win away from his 1,200th victory as a manager.
• Kevin Kramer's RBI single in the sixth broke an 0-for-21 batting streak.
• Dovydas Neverauskas has made nine September appearances; he's given up runs in five of them for a 4.83 ERA.
• Eli has 10 long balls and Cervy 12; the last pair of Pirates catchers to hit 10+ homers in the same season were Michael "The Fort" McKenry (12) and Hot Rod Barajas (11) in 2012. The Pirates have never had a catcher hit 20 HRs; Jim Pagliaroni's 17 in 1965 is the team single-season high mark.
• Clint says that it's "likely" that JHK will get a start this weekend.