Buc Bats Silent Again; Thames Late Homer Gives Brew Crew 2-1 Win

Zach Davies got the first two outs easily before a Starling single, J-Bell walk and Melky double produced a run; Colin lined out to the opp gap with Lorenzo Cain running it down, or it could have been a big start. Steven left a Brewer at second after an infield knock and throwing error by Redbeard. Steven's two out single was all the Bucco action in the second. Milwaukee opened with a single and walk; a tapper moved them up. But the Bucs caught Keston Hiura dancing off third for the second out before Davies fanned. It was a 1-2-3 third for the Pirates; the Brewers conked a two-out two-bagger, but didn't cash in. Eli's two-out single was it in the fourth. A leadoff double put Steven in hot water. After two were away, he walked the eighth hitter to get to Davies, and yep, he singled in the tying run on a soft lob to center, with the runners moving to second and third when Eli muffed the catch on Starling's throw home (it would have been interesting at home if Diaz came up with the short hop), but there was no more damage. Corey D singled with two outs in the fifth, but was thrown out at second via challenge after originally being ruled safe.

Steven kept the Bucs in it again - photo Joe Guzy Pirates

With one gone in the Brewski half fifth, Christian Yelich doubled, after a review to see if it was a homer or not; it just missed. The next guy hit Eli in the hand on the swing, causing Diaz some pain and earning a catcher's interference call on the reach-in. A soft roller moved them up. Ric Rod was waved in (Steven was at 97 pitches w/a righty up) and left them stranded. Starling opened the sixth with a rap and was caught stealing ahead of J-Bell's walk. Ben Gamel took over for Davies and got Melky to roll into a DP; pretty frustrating waste of runners. Ric Rod stayed on and starting piling up the pitches; after a full count strikeout, he gave up a 3-2 single and five pitch walk. He got a pop, then an infield single off Fraze's glove juiced the sacks with two outs. Yelich was up and Frankie, who's been struggling lately, came on, along with Bryan Reynolds in a double switch. It was dramatic, but Filthy Frankie got Yelich swingin' at a slider with the count full. Freddie Peralta got the ball in the seventh and tossed a clean frame, as did The Cisco Kid.

Jeremy Jeffress was called to work the eighth. He helped himself by knocking down a bullet to the box; the ball dropped instead of ricocheting and he threw out K-Man. Then Corey's liner to left was hauled in by Gamel; good contact, bad aim this inning. Kyle Crick got the ball, and Eric Thames, last night's nemesis, sent his second pitch over the wall in dead center. A two-out walk and misfire on a pickoff put an insurance run at second. An intentional walk and K kept it there. Matt Albers got the ninth, and Starling opened with an infield rap. A fly out and Joey O around-the-horn DP put a quick stop to any rally hopes.

Starling was the attack today - photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates

Lots of frustration between the lines. The Pirate attack completely folded; no runner reached second after the first inning. The Brewers pitcher - an .094 batter - singled home the first run with two outs. The plate ump, Steve Barber, was pretty inept (for the record, not a robo-ump fan, but geez, blue, make an effort). But most of all, this series brings back the feeling of angst back when the Buc bats and arms couldn't get in sync, one or the other but not both in gear. Anyway, it brings a disappointing close to a road trip that held promise and makes the homestand against the Cubs and Brewers even bigger in the quest for relevance.

Notes:

• The Pirates had seven hits; Starling had three of them. He scored the only Bucco run.
• With his outing saved by Frankie, Ric Rod became the first Buc reliever to have a scoreless month (13 or more appearances) since Tony Watson did it twice in 2015.
• Josh Bell made the AS team; Felipe didn't. The pitchers, as always, leave room for debate regarding the bubble gang and a great argument could be made for The Nightmare's inclusion.