No Drama Tonight: Bucs Romp 12-2 To Even Series

Took a bit of doing to get this one going; rain delayed the start 2-1/2 hours until 6:35. Fortunately, the storm moved a little more quickly than anticipated. Dario Agrazal had some good and bad in the opening frame. He walked Christian Yelich with a walk, then Eli tossed him out trying to steal. Mike Moustakas then homered - he owns the Pirates - amd a challenged infield single kept the inning alive before Agrazal slipped out. Looked like a bad start for the Bucs; Fraze singled and Bryan Reynolds walked, but Starling banged into a DP to ease the pressure on Adrian Houser. But two-out lightning does exist - J-Bell walked, Redbeard singled home a run, Corey D bounced a ground rule double to plate another, then K-Man's single drove in two more to make it 4-1. The Brew Crew went down 1-2-3; the Bucs left another walk aboard. Yasmani Grandal went deep in the third, and another rap was left on the pond. Two Pirates whiffed in a good frame for Houser. No noise from Milwaukee in the fourth, while Pittsburgh got a K-Man bomb before stranding Eli and Reynolds, who had singled.

Dario is 2-0/2.81 in three Bucco starts - photo MLB.com

Milwaukee loaded the sacks in the fifth on a single, bop and walk with two gone but Fraze made a pretty rangy play to get the force and keep the Brewers at bay. Freddy Peralta took over and gave up knocks to Redbeard and K-Man; Newman had happy feet and was thrown out trying to stretch it to end the frame. Dario tossed a clean sixth and Peralta ran into more two-out bolts: Joey O doubled with an out, and with two gone Reynolds walked and Starling tripled to make it 6-2 Buccos. Michael Feliz gave up two knocks but no runs in the seventh. Burch Smith was called on and was touched for a leadoff knock by Eli but no further commotion. Ric Rod worked the eighth, but it wasn't all roses as Corey D took himself out of the game, looking a little gimpy, ruh-roh. The Bucs added on when Fraze doubled, Reynolds walked again, and Starling's single pushed home another tally. A wild pitch moved them up and ultimately in after Redbeard's knock. Then Melky went long as a cherry on top, making it 12-2. K-Man banged a single before the third out was rung up. Montana DuRapau spun a calm ninth to even the series.

Notes:

• Kevin Newman and Colin Moran each had four hits; they scored four times and chased home six runs between them. Bryan reynolds had just one hit but walked three times, while Starling had two raps and three RBI's.
• Corey D left with "right groin discomfort," per the Bucs. 
• Ric Rod has 17-1/3 straight scoreless innings after tonight, the best active streak in MLB.
• Milwaukee youngsters Orlando Arcia and Keston Hiura collided chasing a grounder; Hiura walked off under his own power but promising pup Arcia was taken off in a cart,holding his arm.
• There were 28,038 paid in the house tonight.