Holy Moly - Bucs Score A Six-Pack, Drop Reds 6-5 In 10 Innings as J-Bell Breaks Out With Some Help From His Friends

After Trevor Williams started off with a 1-2-3 first, Jason Martin singled in his first MLB at bat to start up the Bucs against Tanner Roark. J-Mart got his first stolen base, too, and scored his first run on J-Bell's two-out double. No noise from the Reds in the second, and Kevin Newman opened with a knock for the Pirates. Jake Stallings singled him to third. After a whiff, Willy tried the squeeze but bunted into an out at home after the original safe call was reversed on a challenge (Roark made a poor play in the field; Kevin equalized with a poor slide, late to the plate with his front foot), and the Bucs ended up with a zero. The good times ended in the third when Colin Moran threw away a ball and Kyle Farmer homered; nothing like the 7-8 guys rising up to bite ya. An out later, three straight singles plated another Red before a DP plugged the dike. But the Buccos chipped away. With an out, Redbeard singled and J-Bell banged a ground-rule double; Melky's right-side grounder scored Moran. The Cincy seven hitter, Curt Casali, hurt Willy when he doubled home the Reds fourth run in the fourth. J-Mart walked in the Bucco half with two away to no avail. Pittsburgh has stranded six and is 1-for-8 w/RISP.

Willy struggled but went six innings (photo Joe Guzy/Pirates)

Willy spun a quiet fifth, and the J-Bell show continued with a solo bomb - 431' into center - to make it 4-3. The Redlegs left a runner at second in the sixth. Then the Red pitcher parade began. Jared Hughes took the ball and gave up a rap to Jake, who was bunted to second. Fraze pinch hit and Zach Duke came on; he walked him. Michael Lorenzen was waved in to face JHK, hitting for J-Mart. A soft tapper advanced the runners, and then Starling came through, drilling a two-bagger into center to give the Bucs a 5-4 lead. Ric Rod replaced Willy and K'ed a pair in the seventh. Amir Garrett climbed the bump and served up a clean inning, with thx to a diving grab by Yasiel Puig. Keone Kela couldn't keep the vibe going in the eighth. Joey Votto took him deep to knot the score after passing a fan interference review before KK settled in to fan a pair. Raisel Iglesias tucked the bottom of the order away. Nick Burdi got the ninth; it took him six pitches to get through it. Iglesias stayed on, and Pablo nicked him for a two-out rap, but got picked off with the red-hot J-Bell up *sigh*.

We'd thought that Birdman would get the 10th, but instead it was Frankie Liriano with two lefties due up. And it was good Francisco today; he fanned both the southpaw swingers. Iglesias stayed on for a third frame, and it proved a bridge too far. After an out, Cervy singled hitting for Liriano and scooted home on K-Man's two-bag walk-off to the bullpen fence. The Bucs finally won a game without a shutout!

The Birdman is working his way into the back-end mix - 2019 Topps

The mixed-up lineup came through in spades, banging out 12 hits, five for extra bases, although they did go 2-for-11 w/RISP; that's going to be an issue for awhile, at least until Gregory and Corey get back. Willy was human today; he needs to live around the edges w/o much wiggle room for error, and he just caught too much plate today. And the gamble with Frankie paid off for Clint; he won the game and The Nightmare is available tomorrow. But the game story is that for once the bats barked; kinda nice to watch pitching duels, but guys crossing the plate is a good dynamic, too, especially when your guys do it one more time than the other guys.

Notes:

• This was J-Bell's first three-extra base hits game of his career. He and Starling combined for five knocks, and the Bucs will need them during this short-handed stretch. But give the bench its props - K-Man had two raps, and so did Jake.
• Cincy was due for a few runs, too; they ended a 30-inning scoreless streak today. 
• The crowd was 15,798.
• Gregory Polanco and Dovy Neverauskas will begin their rehab assignments at Hi-A Bradenton tomorrow.
• Ol' Buc Tyler Glasnow is no longer an "opener" but part of Tampa Bays rotation. He's 2-0/0.82, giving up one run on nine hits and two walks in 11 IP with 10 K's. His running mate, Austin Meadows, starts every day and is hitting .250 w/2 HR, but with 10 whiffs in 31 PA's.
• Another ex-Bucco, Brock Holt, went on the 10-day IL with a scratched cornea.