Pirates Even Series With Lots of Brew Crew Help, 9-4

Yes baby - a clean, five pitch first for Archie, with the last out recorded on a sweet play in the hole by K-Man. Starling singled with two away off Jhoulys Chacin and stole second; that set up the first run when he came home on a J-Bell rap. It cost Arch a few more pitches to get through the second, but that was thx to a couple of whiffs. Fraze rolled a single the opp way with two outs to turn the order over. The good times ended on the first pitch of the third when Jesus Aguilar went yard into the shrubs. The Bucs came right back. Singles by K-Man, Gregory and Starling with a boot thrown in produced a run. J-Bell lined out sharply to center, with the runners moving up, and Bryan Reynolds walked. So did Redbeard, to force home a run. Jake fanned and Fraze walked; so did Archie to chase in the second and third runs via a bases-loaded pass. Freddy Peralta came on and K-Man brought home two more with a rap before the music stopped at 7-1. With two gone in the fourth, the Brew Crew got a Mike Moustakas two-bagger, a walk, and Keston Hiura homer to get back in it. Another walk and single followed before the gate was shut. Bryan and Redbeard singled with an out and were on second and third with two outs; Jake K'ed again.

J-Bell set the Bucco total bases/month mark tonight at 94 - 2017 Donruss Optic

The fifth went quietly by for both clubs. Milwaukee got a two-out rap in the sixth. For the Pirates, Starling dropped one down for a bunt single with one gone. With two gone, Reynolds beat out another infield ball not handled real well, and it cost the Brew Crew when Redbeard singled home a run. Jake then hit a liner to the box that was deflected to second; it was both muffed and then thrown away to plate another Bucco. An intentional walk loaded 'em for Archie, who popped out. Arch fanned a pair in the seventh and got the last out on a sliding grab by Gregory. Archer is now up to 92 pitches, closing a good night's work except for that two-out burp in the fourth. Alex Claudio took the bump and twirled an easy frame. Frankie answered the call in the eighth and got three up, three down. Colin singled with two down but no rally broke out. Felipe Vazquez came out to get some work; he's been off since the 27th. A couple of K's around a single and a bouncer put it to rest after 15 pitches. Raise the Roger.

Three hits, three runs and a stolen sack - 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter

13 singles, five walks and a couple of less than sterling plays in the field were all the Buccos needed tonight. Archie was more on point this game, but not being able to close out the fourth made it another meh game run-wise, although seven innings was his longest outing since April 13th, when he tossed seven frames against the Nats. Tomorrow will be a tough match - Brandon Woodruff is on a solid roll, and Nick Kingham will have his hands full keeping pace.

Notes:

• Lots of Bucco hitting heroes, and all the usual suspects: Starling had three raps while K-Man, J-Bell, Bryan Reynolds and Redbeard had a pair of knocks. Throw in walks, and Reynolds, Moran & Fraze each reached base three times.
• J-Bell's single in the first gave him a Bucco record for total bases in a month with 93; he finished with 94.
• K-Man has gotten three or more at bats in 17 games this month; he's had at least a hit in 16 of them.
• An odd stat, but fitting for this year's club: the Pirates scored 9+ runs with no extra-base hits for the first time since 5/26/2003 in a 10-0 win v the Cubs, and for the the tenth time since 1908 per AT&T SportsNet. That's some deep stat diving.
• 28,465 was the announced attendance tonight.
• Well, boo. Keone Kela has cut rehab short due to continued right shoulder pain and will be shut down for 10 days. The problem started in 2017 and has flared up pretty regularly since.