Buc Bats Hold Off Rangers 7-5 In a Game Good to the Last Drop

Shelby Miller and Jameson Taillon traded clean first frames. In the second, the Bucs got a Melky rap; the Rangers banged out back-to-back two-out doubles to take the lead. The Pirates were quiet in the third. Jamo gave up a leadoff rap, followed by a wild pitch and walk, but worked out of it with no damage. Starling singled to open the fourth, with Gregory and J-Bell walking after him. Melky poked a single into left to tie the score. An out later, Bryan Reynolds cleared the bases with a double to left, Melky sliding in with a "I'm gettin' too old for this stuff" look at Joey Cora. Miller was sent to the showers, replaced by Ariel Jurado, who banked the fire. JT gave up a one-out, 3-2 walk but put up another zero. The Bucs returned to their peaceful ways in the fifth; Jamo also tossed a 1-2-3 inning. Wei-Chieh Huang took over in the sixth and J-Bell welcomed him with a two-bagger. A grounder got him to third, but the Bucs couldn't cash him in, allowing Texas to creep within two after red-hot Joey Gallo went long, dinging the foul pole in right with two away. Kyle Dowdy walked Eli to open the seventh. A bunt and bouncer got him to third, and he jogged in ahead of Starling's full-count double. Marte stole third and the count went 3-2 on Gregory with the same result, another two-sacker, to cap a great response inning and make it 6-2.

The big blow again came from Bryan Reynolds (photo Getty Images)

JT came out and gave up a leadoff bomb to Danny Santana on an 0-2 mistake heater. An out later, a dribbler not played very well by Eli (he was charged with an error) put a runner on and brought in Ric Rod. Shin-Soo Choo turned on an inside edge, 3-2 heater and dropped it just over the wall into the first row; nothing is easy. The inning finished without any more noise; the Rangers had a pretty good response, too, and it's a ballgame again. Melky walked to begin the eighth, and Reynolds was issued a four-pitch free pass an out later. JB Shuck came in to run for Melky and scored on Eli's rap to right; the Bucs moved up a base on the throw home. Brett Martin was beckoned to the bump and struck out Cotuck; Fraze couldn't pick him up and the Pirates left their ducks quacking. Kyle Crick took the ball and worked a clean 10-pitch inning. The Bucs went without a peep in the ninth. Felipe Vazquez walked the first batter *sheesh* and a double an out later put the tying runs in scoring position. He fanned Choo and Hunter Pence fouled off a couple of two-strike pitches, finally K'ing by swinging over a full-count change. Felipe then gave the hoodoo sign back to the first row fans who were trying to hex him. Raise the Roger.

The Nightmare added a little drama before putting it to bed (2019 Topps) 

No one ever said it had to pretty. Jamo and Felipe both labored with command today, and Ric Rod gave up his fifth bomb of the young year. But hey, the offense finally won one, and the Pirates come home Friday with two wins from deep in the heart and a 14-14 record despite an injury roster as long as Santa's list.

Notes:

• Melky reached three times with two knocks and a walk; Starling also had two hits. Bryan Reynolds has at least one hit in each of his first nine MLB games, and his three-run double was the linchpin of today's win. The Pirates only had eight hits, but drew five walks (four scored) and were 5-of-15 with RISP.
• Cole Tucker has K'ed in 14 of 41 PA's while drawing just two walks. 
• Melky's fourth-inning single was the Pirates first hit in 20 PA's with the bases loaded.
• Cervy was in the dugout in uniform, so he's hopefully just sitting out a game that he wouldn't have started (day-after-night) anyway.