Bucs Cruise to 7-4 Win Behind Big Joe & Big Bats

So we start with a drip-and-dribble rain delay, with the tarps being rolled up about 1-1/2 hours after the scheduled start, which has now been bumped to 9:10. Big Joe tossed a clean opener. Starling doubled with two away against Kevin Gausman to no avail. The Braves used a leadoff double by Josh Donaldson and an Austin Riley rap to take the lead in the second. The Bucs answered quickly when with one gone, Gregory singled, swiped a sack and plated after Eli took a 3-2 slider yard. With two outs, Big Joe and K-Man singled, then knocks by Bryan Reynolds and Starling each chased home a run. J-Bell doubled in another, with the party ending with Marte tossed out at home with the score now 5-1. The Bravos banged a double but Big Joe kept them off the board in the third. Redbeard and El Coffee led off with back-to-back, first-pitch doubles to add another tally. It was a 1-2-3 fifth for Atlanta. Colin Moran led off the Bucco half with a dinger. Gregory singled and swiped second, but wasn't cashed in.

Starling's been on a tear over the past couple of weeks - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Joe struck out the side in the sixth, and is at a very economical 68 pitches. The Bucs got a couple on with an out against Josh Tomlin thanks to a boot and single, but J-Bell rolled into a 6-4-3 DP to squelch the feels. It was a clean seventh for both Big Joe and Tomlin. The Braves worked a walk with an out in the eighth, but ol' Bucco Matt Joyce obliged by rolling into a 4-5-3 DP (the shift was on). Musgrove batted against Jerry Blevins in the Bucco half (Big Joe singled, his second hit), so looks like he and his 94 pitch count will be back on the bump for the ninth. It a bridge too far; Big Joe gave up back-to-back bombs to Ronald Acuna Jr and Dansby Swanson, so in came Felipe Vazquez. The Nightmare gave up another run on a walk and double, but polished off the win nevertheless. Raise the Roger.

Marte's partner in crime tonight - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Big Joe's outing was what the doctor ordered. We hope to see Vazquez, Crick and Frankie a little more - their recent spat of being beat up probably is more a result of down time rather than flame out, and as a corollary means the Bucs are hangin' around in the late innings. But hey, raise that glass - it's good to see the bangin' bats rewarded with a win for a change.

Notes:

• Starling and Gregory each had three raps, including a double, (El Coffee added a pair of stolen sacks) while Redbeard and Big Joe chipped in a couple of knocks each. Marte is batting .414 in his past 14 games.
• Eight innings was the longest outing of Joe Musgrove's career. He had retired 13 straight until an eighth-inning walk.
• There were 13,904 tickets moved for tonight's contest. The delay was just 45 minutes shorter than the game.
• Lots of injury updates - Corey Dickerson & JHK are rehabbing at Indy with no probs; Willy (he threw a side session today) and Chris Stratton are in line for sim games this week; Erik Gonzalez has been cleared to resume hitting and is looking for a rehab stint in a couple of weeks or so; Jameson Taillon & Keone Kela are headed to Pirate City for rehab (no throwing yet for Jamo), joining Chad Kuhl & Edgar Santana; Nick Burdi isn't tossing yet; Lonnie Chisenhall is home & his calf still aches, and Cervy remains symptomatic. 
• RHP Jesus Liranzo cleared waivers, and was outrighted to Indy. He was removed from the 40-man when the Pirates acquired RHP Yefry Ramirez from the Orioles last week.
• The division just got a little tougher. Reportedly, the Cubs signed Craig Kimbrel for three years/$43M with a fourth-year option.