Bucs Fall In Ten Innings By 6-3 Count

A two-out walk followed by a Fraze boot put a little early pressure on JT Brubaker but a grounder got him back in the dugout. The Bucs did better against Carlos Carrasco. Kevin Newman doubled and scored on Colin Moran's two-out rap to draw first blood. Tyler Naquin started the second with a two-bagger in the gap, almost run down by Jarrod Dyson, and then kept second only because Fraze couldn't handle Dyson's throw behind Naquin. Despite the so-close-yet-so-far Dyson drama, no blood was spilled as JT stranded him there. Pittsburgh went down in order. A double, wild pitch and a pair of walks put Brubaker in another jam in the third, and there was no escaping this time; a single and sac fly put up a three spot for the Indians. Jake started it off for the Bucs with a rap but went nowhere. The Bucs threw away an infield ball to begin the fourth but no damage. The Pirates drew a couple of walks in their half but couldn't do anything with the gift runners. 

K-Man is on a tear - photo 2020 Pirates

Brubaker was yanked (he tossed 57 pitches; Shelty keeps his pups on a short leash) and Derek Holland took over in the fifth in a sort of surprise move. He worked a quiet frame, with a leadoff knock erased on a DP. The Bucs came back. Fraze singled, K-Man walked, and a wild pitch was followed by a J-Bell double to knot the score. Ollie Perez was waved in and picked up a quick pair of whiffs. Chris Stratton tossed a clean sixth. Cam Hill toed the slab for Cleveland after an out (Ollie stayed in to face Gregory) and finished up the frame. Nik Turley had an eventful seventh - a leadoff single, dropped pop (foul, thankfully) and a balk, but left the scoreboard blank. Phil Maton climbed the hill and gave up a two-out knock to K-Man, then bopped J-Bell. James Karinchak replaced Maton and put it to rest. Rich Rodriguez spun a 1-2-3 eighth, as did Karinchak. 

Keone Kela took the ball in the ninth. An opening walk and steal set up the Cleves, but a couple of Ks kept them quiet. Nick Wittgrin gave up a rap to Jarrod and he was bunted up by Jake, who also ended up on first. Then Dyson got picked off by the catcher...sheesh. It was reviewed; he appeared to have his hand in before the tag, but it is what NY sez it is. With two away, K-Man singled Stalls up a base (the ball was hit to left, but Dyson, were he still aboard, would have had a shot at scoring) and Cole Tucker came in to run for Jake. No need; J-Bell fanned, the 12th Pirate to go down on strikes. Sam Howard's number came up for the 10th, and a free runner, hit batter and homer by Carlos Santana (it looked foul on TV, but not to the review crew, so...) doubled up the score. Brad Hand took the ball, and gave up a B-Rey single between striking out the side.

Bad game - both sides looked disinterested and so did the umps/review crew. Hopefully someone in the locker room can light a little fire under these guys.

Notes:

• Kevin Newman has a seven-game hitting streak going on and had three knocks tonight. On the other side of the coin, Gregory Polanco went 0-for-4 with three whiffs. He's batting .075 with 21 K in 40 at bats.
• Pittsburgh is 0-4 in extra innings.
• It never ends. The Pirates placed RHP Yacksel Rios on the 10-day IL (right shoulder inflammation), retroactive to August 15th. They recalled RHP Nick Mears from the minor league camp at Altoona.