Brault, Ramirez Spanked; Cubs Shell Bucs 17-8

The Bucs opened by scoring on an oddball play. K-Man singled and Bryan Reynolds walked. Newman was running, and Willson Contreras threw to second, despite the walk. The ball went into center, and, moving the guys up a base, and when Albert Almora's toss went center missed everyone, Newman score. Two outs later, Joey O walked, Pablo tripled and Fraze doubled just inside the line, giving Steven Brault a quick 4-0 edge over Jon Lester. Gonna be one of those days; Nick Castellanos homered with Anthony Rizzo on to halve the lead. Then Contreras went long (there are 20-MPH winds blowing out at Wrigley) followed by a double and a Nico Hoerner dinger, his first MLB blast. It's 5-4 Cubbies with eight innings to go. The Bucs got a Brault rap to open the second and no more; the Cubs were shut down, too. Pablo doubled with two away in the third; he tried to score on Fraze's infield rap, but was tossed out at home running another Joey Cora suicide mission. Contreras went long again for Chicago. With two outs, Chicago loaded the bases on a single inside two walks (including a four-pitch pass to Lester) and Rizzo bopped a grannie. Eight outs, 10 runs, five homers for Chi-town off Steven. Alex McRae was called on (he was yesterday's Plan B starter if Big Joe couldn't go). He walked three straight guys, all after running the count full, but escaped.

Newman stayed hot with three raps - 2019 Topps Gypsy Queen

Both sides stranded a runner in the fourth. The Bucs pushed back to tally three runs via some small ball and a Cub boot to make it 10-7 in the fifth, even with leaving runners at second and third. Oh, and J-Bell limped into the locker room after being forced out at second; when it rains... Yefrey Ramirez got two outs, then it fell apart; the Cubs rattled off five runs before Geoff Hartlieb was called on; he was tattooed until a liner was gloved and the score was 17-7. Brad Wieck worked the sixth of what is already a three hour plus ballgame and struck out the side. The Cubs were held to a walk (the Pirates eighth). Alec Mills got the seventh and ge struck out the side, too. Hartlieb, bless his soul, tossed a clean frame. Tuck's triple led to another score in the eighth, and Parker Markel then put up a zero while walking a pair. Mills put the Pirates away without a peep.

The pivot point to this game was getting five or six workmanlike innings out of Brault. Clint did the smart thing by using his back-enders to win games in San Francisco and left this match up to Steven. But his last two games, against the Cards and Cubs, have jumped his ERA from 3.88 to 4.89 as he's given up 16 runs (15 earned) in eight innings. Whether that's regression or just wearing down, he's blowing a shot to nail down a 2020 spot in the rotation. And it might serve the FO well to consider that depth thing in constructing next year's roster, especially with Jamo out.

Fraze also kept on swingin' with two knocks - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Notes:

• Kevin Newman and Pablo Reyes had three hits each (it was Reyes' first 3-hit day) and Fraze added a pair of raps; the Pirates had 13 hits on the day.
• The Cubs had 16 hits, eight for extra bases, and drew 10 walks with a bopped batter.
• Per MLB Random Stats, Steven Brault is the first pitcher in the live ball era to allow 10 earned runs and five home runs in a start of three innings or less.
• Felipe Vazquez, Keone Kela, Ric Rod and Yacksel Rios were unavailable today out of the bullpen; the relievers logged a lot of innings in San Francisco.
• The Pirates were thrown out 23 times at home last year, tied for the NL high and second in MLB. They've been thrown out 21 times this year to hold the MLB lead.
• The Pirates claimed LHP Williams Jerez from the Giants; to make roster room, Kyle Crick was placed on the 60-day DL. Jerez has had a couple of big-league stops with the Angels and Giants; he has a 3-0/4.98 slash with 14 walks in 21 innings and a 6.66 FIP in the show.