Old Philly Phriends Drop Bucs In 11 Innings, 6-5

B-Rey singled off Jason Vargas with one gone; Joey O tried to bring him in with two away, but his drive was gloved at the 369' mark in left center. Philly went down in order. In the second, Redbeard singled but was on the back end of a strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP. The Phils produced a pair of knocks but no runs. The third inning was 1-2-3 for both sides. Reynolds opened the fourth with a leg hit, went to second on a wild pitch and was left on the pond. The Phils struck when Brad Miller popped a two-run, two-out homer to draw first blood. The Pirates had some two-out thunder themselves; Fraze doubled and came home on Big Joe's knock (only a single because it ricocheted off the base of the wall so hard he had to pull up after rounding first) to halve the lead in the fifth. The Phils left a leadoff single aboard. The sixth was six up, six down.

Ric Rod couldn't hold the lead for Big Joe - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Melky singled and scored on Redbeard's two-bagger to start the seventh; it needed an ump review as it hit the very top of the wall. Stalls walked and Jose Alvarez took the ball. A bunt moved them up and pinch hitter J-Bell was intentionally walked (great strategy, Clint). Jared Hughes was then waved in. He got a grounder from K-Man, but it found a hole to plate a pair and give the Pirates their first lead. Starling walked with two away to juice the sacks but Joey O couldn't add on. Frankie Liriano came on a put up a zero. Ranger Suarez got the eighth inning nod; a single by Melky was erased by a GIDP from Erik Gonzalez and a liner ended it. Ric Rod, and Bryce Harper did his thing by dropping a two-out homer into the seats. That was followed by a Realmuto infield rap, leisurely played by Gonzalez at third, and Corey Dickerson homer as the Bucs are now on the wrong end of a 5-4 score.

Hector Neris got the ninth inning beckon, and after an out, J-Bell, who stayed in the game, took one deep to tie the match. K-Man singled and then was quickly caught stealing; a K put it to bed. Chris Stratton took the hill. He walked two of the first three hitters he faced, and the next singled to pack the sacks. A pop up brought up Harper. He got ahead 3-1, but Stratton came back to get him swinging. It's bonus baseball time. Mike Morin answered the 10th inning bell. Starling bunted for a knock and was thrown out trying to steal; maybe someone should tell Clint and the boys Realmuto is pretty good. That was all the noise. The Phils got a leadoff rap and walk off Stratton. Then Jean Segura got a 3-2 heater down Broadway; he lined it center; Starling slid to grab it and doubled up the runner at second. That was followed by another walk, but liner to second kept it even.

S-Rod back when he was a good guy - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

With two away in the 11th, Fraze's single and J-Bell's walk gave the Bucs a glimmer; K-Man's fly to center dimmed the glow. Michael Feliz came in, hung a 1-2 curve to S-Rod, and he dumped it in the seats. Fun while it lasted.

Nothing like getting beat by your old mateys, unless it's giving up four homers, three with two outs.

Notes:

• Five Bucs had two hits - K-Man, B-Rey, Redbeard, Melky and Fraze. J-Bell had a homer and was walked twice on his day off and Starling had a knock and a walk.
• The TV crew announced that Keone Kela, Kyle Crick, Felipe Vazquez and Michael Feliz were all supposedly unavailable tonight. That's amazing to us: Crick worked consecutive nights; the others all worked yesterday but had Saturday off, and none tossed over 18 pitches. Feliz did come on in the 11th for four pitches.
• The Altoona Curve's 21-year-old LHP Domingo Robles (4-6/4.13) tossed a 95-pitch complete game tonight, shutting out Akron on five hits. It was his third complete game and the Curve's sixth; it was also the club's 17th shutout. The Pirates have one CG, and that was by Jameson Taillon, to go with six whitewashes.