Bucs Do It The Hard Way In 3-2, 10-Inning Win Over Motown

With two gone in the first against Spencer Turnbull, Colin Moran drew a walk and J-Bell singled before Melky went down chasing a cutter. It took Trevor Williams seven pitches to sit the Tigers down. Pittsburgh went 1-2-3 in the second, with JHK hitting into bad luck; a ball ticketed up the middle caught a piece of Turnbull and caromed to J-Hay at second. Detroit also went quietly. No Buc noise in the third; Turnbull has left some balls in the zone, but it hasn't cost him so far. A Motown bunt single was erased by a 5-4-3 DP; good thing as ex-Bucs JaCoby Jones and J-Hay worked a bopped batter/two-base bleeder not very well played by Gonzo into a second-and-third situation before Willy shut down the action. J-Bell walked with one away in the fourth, followed by a Melky rap that J-Hay knocked down but had no play on. Lost-at-sea Cervy fanned before Jung Ho banged a bullet to short; it was booted and the Bucs had the game's first run. J-Mart almost made it a big inning, but his drive was pulled in at the wall at the 370' mark.

Dependable as clockwork... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Miggy singled for Motown, and an out later, a walk and HBP juiced the sacks. It's raining, and that may be affecting Willy a bit. A medium sac fly tied it up; J-Mart's throw was up the first base line, saving Cabrera's bacon. The Bucs challenged, but Miggy did barely beat the rap - Martin's one red flag is his arm. The Tigers took the lead when a fly dropped in front of a hesitant Jason; he's not exactly piling up defensive WAR this inning. Willy took matters in his own hands with a K. The Pirates went down in order in the fifth while Detroit stranded a Nick Castellanos double. It took Turnbull eight pitches to get through the sixth. A leadoff single and grounder moved another Tiger to second; Willy left him there. Victor Alcantara took the ball from Turnbull in the seventh and tucked the Bucs away, although Kang continued to hit the ball sharply (his EV has been 101-106 MPH) but at people. Kyle Crick got two bouncers and a whiff in his return to action. Joe Jimenez took the hill in the eighth. JB Shuck broke a streak of 10 straight Pirates outs with a leadoff knock, Fraze worked a walk, and a passed ball put the Bucs in business. Starling got drilled with a heater in the earhole, but was smiling after being checked out and took his base; we're not sure that's the wisest move, but... That brought on Daniel Stumpf.

The lefty K'ed Redbeard, making him look bad in the process. J-Bell worked the count full being sending a close-but-no-cigar fly to the track in left, plating JB and moving up the other runners, where Melky's fly left them; the Tigers dodged a bullet that frame. Ric Rod came on, with Pablo at SS. The rain was coming down w/lightning, causing the Detroit management to clear the uncovered lower decks, but it didn't bother Rodriguez, who tossed a clean if damp inning. Shane Greene was waved in for the ninth. He walked J-Mart with two outs, then fanned Pablo. Nick Burdi was next up, and nine pitches & two strikeouts later, he took the club into extra innings again. Buck Farmer took the ball for the 10th to face the top of the order. Fraze doubled and Starling's single put Corsairs on the corners. Colin's rap up the middle sent Fraze home, with Marte stopping at second. Big innings don't seem to be in the Bucs DNA; J-Bell bit on an outside changeup and tapped into an around-the-horn DP that withstood a challenge. Melky was intentionally walked. Drew VerHagen was sent in to meet Cervy and fanned the struggling catcher on four pitches. The Nightmare toed the slab with a 3-2 lead and gave up an opening knock, a shot that went off JHK's mitt. It was just a tease; Felipe took care the next three guys and the Bucs took home the short series with another 10 inning win. Raise the Roger.

Nick Burdi picked up his second win. (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Bucs took this one the hard way; they piddled away a couple of golden opps to break the game open, and J-Mart's blips in left (and we're guessing Corey, Pablo or JB make at least one of the two misplays) gave the Tigers offense its opening. But as Willy (the writer, not the pitcher) said, all's well that ends well. They've won nine of their last 12 games and been in all but one, so hard way or not, something's working out all right.

Notes:

• The Bucs had just six hits, with nobody with more than one. Fraze, Redbeard, J-Bell and Melky reached twice via a knock and a walk.
• Cervy is in an 0-for-24 slump. His hard-hit rate per Fangraphs is just 16%, compared to a career 30% rate, so it's more than bad ball luck.
• Six of 16 Bucco games have gone extra innings; Pittsburgh is 4-2 in OT.
• The Pirates starters had an ERA of 2.03 going into tonight, tops in the NL and second in the majors to Tampa Bay. Including tonight (16 games), they've only been credited with four wins.
• Pirates Korean SS prospect, 19-year-old Ji-Hwan Bae, was suspended without pay for 30 games for violating the MiLB Domestic Violence Policy. The suspension was the result of being found guilty in October of assaulting his former girlfriend in South Korea (he was fined). The Bucco FO said all the right things about the punishment and noted that he has already undergone a "treatment program." No word on whether the team will add their own penalty; judging how the handled JHK, prob not, other than maybe some anger management classes.