Bucs Sweep Twin Bill With 2-0 Whitewash of Redbirds

The Bucs didn't doing much against Johan Oviedo in the first. Cody Ponce gave up a couple of hits, but a around-the-horn DP in the middle kept the scoreboard clean. A couple of at-em balls made for a clean Pirates second. St. Louis started with a walk and a knock but another DP (6-3) took the air out of their sails. Pittsburgh used a one-out walk and three straight singles (JR Murphy, Gonzo & Fraze) with a wild pitch added in to chase home a pair of runs in the third. The Cards worked a walk but drew no blood. Neither squad made any noise in the fourth. A Murphy walk and Fraze rap set Pittsburgh up with two away in the fifth, but they were left on the pond. Ponce was tagged for a leadoff two-bagger but again wiggled out of it. Austin Gomber toed the slab in the sixth. J-Bell and Joey O singled but were left aboard. With two outs, Brad Miller banged a triple, and that was the end of Cody's night. But his line remained a zero as Geoff Hartlieb came on and got an inning-ending pop. Gomber tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Nik Turley took the ball, looking for the save. 11 pitches later, he had it and you can raise the Roger again.

Pretty nice debut by Cody - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Cody Ponce tossed a shutout in his first start, put to bed by Geoff Hartlieb and Nik Turley. Good stuff today; maybe the Bucs should turn their pitching coaches loose on the hitters...

Notes:

• Fraze had two of the Bucs' six hits. The Pirates had 12 raps in the two games; they were all singles.
• Cody Ponce claimed his first big league win and Nik Turley earned his first MLB save tonight.
• A Pirates update: Keone Kela's right forearm injury is now categorized as inflammation, not tightness.
• Seven games were postponed tonight.
• The Pirates are now off to Milwaukee to open a four-game set tomorrow.