Homer Barrage, Tight Twirling Carry Bucs to 7-0 Runaway Against Cubbies

Chad Kuhl spun a clean opening frame. Alec Mills almost matched it; he had two outs and two strikes before Colin Moran dropped a ball into the seats to give the Bucs first dibs. The Cubs went down routinely in the second. Gregory singled with one gone, was caught stealing and then had to watch Bryan Reynolds jog around the bases unaccompanied after his homer. Jared Oliva collected his first MLB knock, and single-and-error on a ball hit up the middle (he did beat it out before the throw sailed away), then the the frame petered out. The third was again quiet for Chicago; Fraze led off with the Buccos' third solo dinger to make it 3-0. Kuhl walked a couple of guys in the fourth but escaped unharmed. And geez, the Bucs on the bases - B-Rey singled, Oliva legged out another infield ball, and then cost JT Riddle when his sharply smacked ball hit Oliva's foot on the way to second for an out/deadball instead of an RBI. With runners now at second and third and two outs, Kyle Ryan was called upon. Fraze singled a run home; Riddle was thrown out at the plate trying to score behind Reynolds.

Chad's final pitch to remain a rotation piece was pretty strong - photo Pgh Pirates 

Chad struck out the side in the fifth on a dozen pitches. The Bucs kept on; a Redbeard rap was followed by a Josh Bell bomb to make it 6-0. Anthony Rizzo doubled in the sixth with one down; it was Chi-town's first hit. That was followed by a free pass, both left stranded by Chad. The Bucs made not a peep for the first time today. Chicago banged out another one-out two-bagger in the seventh, then a bopped batter. Cool dodged that bullet with a liner up the middle snagged by JT Riddle and converted into a DP, eliciting a yell and fist pump from Chad. Duane Underwood Jr. claimed the hill. With an out, Key singled, Redbeard doubled and J-Bell was walked intentionally. Gregory lifted a sac fly, then B-Rey juiced the sacks again on a soft infield bingle before Oliva fanned. Geoff Hartlieb took the mound in the eighth and spun a quiet frame; ditto for the Cubbies' Jason Adams. Blake Cederlind rocked the slab in the ninth, and nine pitches later, it was time to raise the Roger.

Four homers and clutch pitching; better late than never, as they say.

Notes:

• Colin Moran went 3-for-3 with a walk. Bryan Reynolds had three hits while Fraze and Jared Olva added a pair of raps. J-Bell homered and walked. The Pirates collected 14 hits! today; da Cubs had but two.
• Per Joe Block: Pirates starting pitchers, in the last 10 games - 1.60 ERA, 62 IP, .156 BA.
• The last time the Pirates won three-in-a-row was a month ago against Milwaukee.
• Steven Brault does it all: he sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch, shown on the vid screen.