Bru, Bucs Spoil Willy's Reunion With 7-1 Win To Take Series

Today's Game: Good start for JT Brubaker; a harmless single and two fans in a scoreless opening frame. With two gone, Bryan Reynolds singled and Colin Moran walked off Trevor Williams, but no cigar was won. The Cubs drew first blood when Javy Baez homered into the shrubs in the second. Gregory Polanco singled off Willy to lead off for the Bucs, followed by a Jake Stalling rap. Dustin Fowler's hustle double plated El Coffee to knot the score before Bru helped his own cause with a two-run line-kissing looper into right. Phil Evans singled with an out, but the party ended with the Pirates up 3-1. With one away, a single and HBP set up Chicago in the third. Anthony Rizzo hit a DP ball to Redbeard, but Kevin Newman misfired on the relay (he was fighting off a wide takeout slide by Wilson Contreras) to make it 3-2 for a minute, but a review ruled an illegal slide so the interference did result in a DP, keeping it at 3-1. K-Man opened with an infield rap ahead of a one-out walk and bopped batter that juiced the sacks. Bru's hopper (with a sick between-the-legs hike to second by Eric Sogard for the force) chased home the fourth run.

Bru did it all today - photo Joe Sargent, MLB/Pirates

Another HBP opened the fourth (and yes, it caused a little bad blood to boil; a Cub coach got bounced after the dance) and a single put Cubbies on the corners, but a K, pop and fly sent JT home free. Three straight singles - one a bunt by B-Rey, who caught the 3B deep - scored another run. A bouncer led to a throw-out at home, and Rex Brothers took the ball from Willy. The lefty fanned El Coffee and Jake, running the stranded count to eight in four frames for the Pirates. Chi-Town went down in order in the fifth; Fraze walked with two gone for the Bucco action. Bru gave up an opening free pass in the sixth followed by a fly out to the fence, and Shelty waved in Sam Howard, who fanned a pair to get back to the dugout. Jason Adam toed the slab, gave up an opening rap and then tucked the Bucs away. Howard got the first out in the seventh before Chris Stratton was called in to finish the job. Ryan Tepera gave up a double to Jake (a shot through the SS hole that Baez deflected to the railing) and hung a spinner to Wilmer Difo, who banged it into the Clemente seats to make it 7-1.

Kyle Crick got his turn in the eighth. His velo is building back up, now in the low 90's, and he gave up a single through the hole, the only ball he allowed past the infield. Reynolds collected his fourth hit of the day off Dan Winkler to get things going, but Winkler cruised through the next Pittsburgh trio. David Bednar answered the ninth inning bell, and a dozen pitches later the W was in the books. Raise it!

The keys: the starters get into the sixth, the gloves work and the Bucs get enough runners to push some across. Looks like the formula for the 2021 Buccos. 

Notes:

• B-Rey had four hits for the third time in his career while Jake and Phil the Thrill added a pair of knocks. Bru had three RBI to prove himself a threat with the bat, too.  
• Same ol' medical report on Ke'Bryan Hayes - practicing in the field but the team won't rush him back per Ben Cherington. He's due for an exam today and can come off the IL on Wednesday. His return will help stretch the lineup a little deeper; Ke', we'd expect, will plug back into the two hole so that Evans can drop down with Newman in the order.
• RHP Cody Pence, the return for the Jordan Lyle deal, is working sim games to stretch out and is nearing a return from the IL (forearm). 
• Homecoming day for Trevor Williams included the video tribute treatment and an ovation from Willy's Pirates fans before the game.

Tomorrow's Game: The San Diego Padres visit the Pirates, and they'll open the four-game set at 6:35. The contest will be carried on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan, with Yu Darvish v a Bucco starter TBD (Trevor Cahill's turn in the rotation, but...).