Kardiac Kids Walk It Off 6-5 as Kubs Krumble

Arch got a couple of K in the first; his slider looks sharp early on, and he used up just 10 tosses. Starling singled with two gone against Yu Darvish for the Bucco action. A couple of more Cubs whiffed in the second, but Archer's 2019 bugaboo, the long ball, bit him when Victor Caratini hit a first-pitch four-seamer out of the yard with one gone. The Bucs went down 1-2-3. Kyle Schwarber worked a two-out walk, then a Javy Baez rap left the corners occupied, but Arch closed out the third after that, thanks to a well-positioned shift. Fraze was bopped on a two-out, 3-2 pitch and swiped second, to no avail. A walk opened the fourth, and an out later, Arch walked another after being up 0-2. They cost as a single plated a run, though Chris stranded Cubbies at second and third with a pair of strikeouts. The Bucs bounced right back. Starling and J-Bell smacked back-to-back doubles before Melky shipped one into the seats (all three balls had exit velo's of 104-105 MPH) to put Pittsburgh up 3-2.

Starling has nine hits in his last four games - 2019 Donruss

Two batters into the fifth, Javy Baez tied hit by pounding a 3-2 changeup into the shrubs. He plunked Anthony Rizzo, who was singled to third, but again Archer wriggled out of the jam. But that was it for Arch after five innings and 94 pitches. He was pinch hit for, but Yu set the Buccos down in order. Michael Feliz was called for the sixth, and was nicked for one hit - a single by Darvish. Pittsburgh kept coming; J-Bell bombed his 26th. Melky singled, but no more damage was created. Feliz stayed on in the seventh to face Baez; he K'ed him and Frankie Liriano got the ball. JHK, who had double-switched in, gave up a single and error (it should have been an error all the way due to a misthrow) on what would have been the third out, and Caratini homered again (the switch hitter has one from each side of the plate) as Chicago regained the lead. Fraze singled with two away, and that brought on Brandon Kintzler, who got Corey D to bounce out.

Dovy Neverauskas was called on in the eighth, and tossed a clean seven-pitch frame. Pedro Strop entered and gave up a single to Starling; he was picked off after a challenge by the Cubs, and it cost dearly an out later when Melky doubled and Joey O singled, only to have Cabrera thrown out at home; it was a good send, considering the OF'er was Wilson Contreras, a catcher by trade, who zipped the ball home and on the money. Four batters, three hits, and no runs... Ric Rod tossed a quiet ninth and Craig Kimbrel took the hill. Eli worked a walk with an out, and JHK doubled him to third (this time Contreras acted like a catcher trying to get to the ball; Maddon pulled a bad by not putting in a real outfielder). Fraze, who the book called for being walked with first base open, was instead pitched to. He rolled over on an outside heater, but the weak grounder to second (with the infield back!!?) tied the game when Eli's nifty slide beat the tag at home and left Bucs alive on the corners. Corey went with a pitch on the far edge and lifted a fly to left, stroked deep enough for Kang to score. The park partied like it was 1979 - in justice, it was loud and rowdy all night - as the Roger was raised.

Ol' Man River just keeps on rollin' - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

The Bucs had been playing clean ball lately; not so today, and that sloppiness gave them quite a hill to climb. But this gang doesn't have an idle gear, and pushed through despite themselves. They  clinched the series, pretty much a must where they're at, and are three games off the division lead and in a pack of eight teams within two games of the wildcard. We sure live in interesting times...

Notes:

• The 3-4-5 guys for the Bucs (Starling, J-Bell & Melky) went 8-for-12, scored four runs and drove in four more.
• J-Bell's homer was his 59th extra-base hit, setting a NL record for most XBH's before the All-Star break by overtaking Albert Pujols 2003 mark.
• 17,831 was tonight's paid attendance.
• The Pirates fanned 11 more Baby Bruins, giving them 31 K in the three games.
• The Bucs don't have a complete game this year; they only had three last year, two by Jamo and one by Willy.
• Wednesday Injury Update: Gregory will begin a rehab stint at Indy this week, where he'll join Erik Gonzalez. Cervy can practice now (and has been this week), but isn't cleared for catching or game activity yet. Keone Kela is throwing bullpen sessions, with a sim game on the horizon. Rookie Davis is throwing off flat ground; apparently his blister was pretty deep. Jamo's coming along; he's expected to start a basic throwing regimen after the holiday.