Bucs Go Down Again 6-3

Adam Frazier walked but didn't last long as Yu Darvish (after a challenge) picked him off for a 1-2-3 inning. Trevor Williams also tossed a clean opener. Colin Moran started the second with a rap for all the Bucco action. Willy gave up a pair of two-out knocks, but a K put an end to it. It was a silent third for Pittsburgh. Kris Bryant walked and Anthony Rizzo was bopped on a 3-2 pitch with one away. Javy Baez dropped a beauty of a bunt, Willy threw it away, and a run scored while Cubbies ended up a second and third. He atoned by fanning the next two Baby Bruins (and honked off Wilson Contreras with an exuberant "F--- yeah" after K'ing him). Darvish struck out the side in the fourth without comment. With two outs, Jason Kipnis homered and it was 2-0 Windy City. Tuck singled in the fifth and swiped second to no avail. The first two Cubs walked, but Jake helped out by back-picking one of them off first. Willy got a second out and then Shelty brought on Nik Turley to lefty up on Kyle Schwarber, and he walked him. And the Contreras, too. Jason Hayward singled home a pair to make it 4-0; walking four guys will lead to that... 

Redbeard keeps rakin' - 2019 Topps Archives

Pittsburgh made not a peep in the sixth; their strategy of lulling Darvish to sleep hasn't paid off. Geoff Hartlieb climbed the hill and was met with consecutive singles but managed to dodge the bullet. Kyle Ryan replaced Darvish in the seventh with the same results - a clean frame. Hartlieb was tagged for a one-out double, then Miguel Del Pozo got the call and served a couple of grounders to clean it up. El Coffee started the Bucs off with a double in the eighth and Rowan Wick was summoned. He almost got out of it, but Jarrod Dyson's two-out, two-strike single chased Gregory home. Del Pozo stayed in long enough to issue a walk and give up a knock before Dovy Neverauskas answered the bell, and a couple of walks and a couple of hits later, it was 6-1. Craig Kimbrel gave up back-to-back dingers to J-Bell and Captain Redbeard in the ninth before getting hard-hit outs from Bryan Reynolds and Gregory and a routine bouncer from Tuck to close the book.

The Pirates bullpen is an accident waiting to happen, especially the way Shelty uses them (although in his defense, there aren't really a lot of good options). Keone and Clay Holmes can't get back soon enough. 

Notes:

• Redbeard is tied for the MLB lead and is on top of the NL pile with four homers. He was the only Bucco with two hits and is batting .333 on the young season. Fraze reached twice with a knock and a walk.
• Tuck got his first MLB stolen base tonight. Gregory got his first hit of the year and J-Bell banged his first bomb.
• Pirates pitchers have walked 35 batters in 62 IP, or five free passes per game.
• And yes, it is late - the game took 3:46; so much for pace of play.