Lyles, Bullpen Led Bucs To 2-0 Win Over Reds

It was a quiet first between Jordan Lyles and Tyler Mahle, with six grounders and a Lyles walk. The Reds made some noise in the second with a double and intentional walk, while Melky's deflected infield single was all the Bucco damage. Cincy started lifing the ball in the third, creating no hits but a little drama when Starling had to leap at the the wall (nonchalantly, yet) to haul in Yasiel Puig's 400-foot out. Fraze singled with two gone and stole second, but Marte fanned on three pitches. A walk and a knock with an out put Queen City in business in the fourth, but Lyles coaxed an around-the-horn DP ball, snagged nicely by JHK, to end the threat. J-Bell singled and went to third with two gone on Melky's rap; unfortunately, Cabrera was tossed out trying to take two on a bad base running decision by the vet. The drizzle that started earlier was beginning to pick up, too. Lyles got by giving up a two-out single, but after five he's at 80 pitches. Kevin Newman put a charge into a ball lined to left in the Pittsburgh half, and it became the only loud Pirates out of the frame.

The perils of a short bench: Clint let Lyles bat, then sent Nick Kingham to the hill for the sixth. Jordan did well - no runs, three hits, three walks and two K, helped by a few rockets that found leather. The King put up another zero, stranding a runner at second. Starling doubled with an out and died at second; the Bucs aren't getting much ball love, either; two of the outs this inning were hit on the nose. Nick gave up a leadoff single to open the seventh but posted another zero on the board. David Hernandez took the ball for Mahle, who did a nice job of working up & down and around the edges tonight against some aggressive swinging. Melky collected his third hit with an out, and Pablo entered to run for him. JB's hit-and-run single sent him to third, and Newman's slow dribbler to first plated Reyes. Wandy Peralta closed the frame. Richard Rodriguez got the call in the eighth, looking for some redemption against the middle of the order as Clint kinda rolled the dice.

The way we like games to end... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Ric Rod gave up a two-out walk after a great stretch by J-Bell saved Kang from a throwing error, confirmed by replay, then whiffed his way out of the inning. After a Fraze line out - he's seeing the ball pretty well in the early going - Michael Lorenzen claimed the bump. Starling dropped a single into right; Cervy and J-Bell followed with two more knocks to score Marte. Kang had the green light on a 3-0 pitch; he banged into an around-the-horn DP to end the fun. Felipe Vazquez got the ball and with an out, he K'ed Matt Kemp by burying a change; it dove so well that it got past Fran and allowed Kemp to reach. It was ruled a wild pitch tho Cervy didn't do much to block it. That was followed by a single; a Pablo bobble put Reds at second and third. Another K put the Bucs an out away, and three more pitches iced it.

It ain't easy; the Bucs need a couple of guys to heat up at the plate. It might behoove them to find a real outfielder, too, now that three of the top four guys are out, although if Jason Martin comes up, that may be solved. It was good to see Lyles fit in, although he does catch too much plate; tonight it didn't hurt. But for now, it's all good as the Jolly Roger flutters in the breeze once again!

Notes:

• Pittsburgh had 10 hits - Melky had three while Starling and J-Bell had a pair each. Good to see some multiple raps; the Pirates starting eight has six guys hitting under .225.
• The Reds' Jesse Winker and Scott Schebler both got their first hits of the season tonight.
• Corey D said his injury wasn't caused by a single event, but was probably the result of the batting/throwing reps. We wonder if the leap from Florida weather to the end of winter in the east may have helped aggravate it.
• Fraze would seem to be the natural replacement in left, but Bill Brink of the Post Gazette believes the Bucs want to keep him focused at 2B, where he's still a work in progress.
• Tonight's attendance was 8,523. The hockey game up the street drew 18,574.