Today's Game:
The temps were better suited for a curling match than baseball game, but still they persevered... KeBryan Hayes got the Bucs off to a grand start when he went long off Kyle Hendicks after a Fraze walk. Two free passes around a double put the Cubbies in position against Chad Kuhl with an out, and a sac fly made it 2-1 after a frame. Pittsburgh added on when Gregory walked and Stalls singled to start the second. Fraze then came through with a two-out, 0-2 oppo single to put the good guys up 3-1. The key: Kuhl hustled out a slug bunt to keep the inning alive, even taking a tumble over the base to beat the rap. The Cubbies stranded another walk. The Pirates again opened strong in the third; Bryan Reynolds beat out an infield knock and Colin Moran walked, but they never moved up. Chicago was handed a run on a Fraze error, stolen base, Stall's misthrow and sac fly to trim the lead to 3-2.
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| Young Hayes launched a 410' bomb & the Bucs never looked back - 2020 Prizm |
Brandon Workman got the Cub call in the fourth (both starters were at 63 pitches) and walked Alford, who was picked off breaking early, a Bucco issue all spring. It hurt when Dustin Fowler followed with a pinch-hit rap and Fraze walked, then pulled off a double steal. Hayes' liner to right should have scored Fowler, but he was halfway down the line as both he and Joey Cora were asleep at the switch. Rex Brothers took the ball and got the third out without damage. Duane Underwood climbed the hill against his old mates and struck out the side. The Bucs got a Redbeard walk and K-Man single to open the fifth - the first two or three runners have reached every inning - before Polanco K'ed for the second time on a ball in the dirt. Jason Adam toed the slab, and Jake doubled home Moran. A bopped batter jammed the sacks with two away before Fraze bounced out. Clay Holmes took over and flipped a 1-2-3 frame.
Pittsburgh led off the sixth with a free pass. A one-out walk got Dan Winkler waved in, and he left the Corsairs on base. Sam Howard struck out the side in his turn. Winkler walked Alford in the seventh. Tony stole second and scored on Fraze's two-out two-bagger to put the Pirates up 5-2. Dave Bednar took the ball and whiffed a pair in a quiet frame. Andrew Chafin was whistled in for the eighth. A walk and single left runners at second & third with two away before Ryan Tepera was tasked with getting the third out. Another walk juiced the bases; a K ended it. Chris Stratton gave up a manufactured run on a leadoff double, bouncer and sac fly. Alec Mills toiled in the ninth and threw the first clean Cub inning. Ric Rod looked for the save. He walked a guy with an out, but punched out the last pair of Baby Bruins to raise the Roger.
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| Ric Rod picks up his first save of the year - 2020 photo Pirates |
So let's see...the Pirates were 3-of-20 with RISP, stranded 15 runners, ran themselves out of an inning and gifted the Cubbies a run...and won. Persistence coupled with a lights-out effort by the pen - six innings, one run on one hit with one walk and 11 whiffs - pays off sometimes.
Notes:
- Every Pirates position starter reached base, while Fraze, Kevin Newman and Stalls had two hits. Redbeard walked three times; Fraze and Tony Alford twice.
- Keeping good company: Per MLB Stats, Ke'Bryan Hayes is the youngest Pirate to homer on Opening Day since Barry Bonds in 1988 and the first Buc rookie since Johnny Ray in 1982.
- Cub pitchers walked 11 batters; the ninth was the only inning that they didn't issue a free pass. Overall, the two teams used 15 twirlers and the game lasted four hours.
- Perils of a four-man bench: C Michael Perez was the only position player left by the seventh inning, and he was used to pinch hit in the ninth.
- Today's game was the first time these guys began the season on an Opening Day MLB roster: RHP Wil Crowe, OF Dustin Fowler, 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, LHP Sam Howard and RHP Luis Oviedo.
- The Pirates five-man taxi squad for this road trip consists of IF Rodolfo Castro, IF Wilmer Difo, RHP Sean Poppen, LHP Chasen Shreve & C Andrew Susac.
- BTW, the elephant in the room waved its trunk today - the Nats Opener against the Mets was postponed when one of the Washington players had a positive Covid test.
There's no game scheduled; the Bucs and Cubs pick it up again Saturday afternoon when Tyler Anderson takes on Jake Arrieta.
I would imagine the Pirates have in mind to use Stephen Brault fairly frequently as a pinch hitter if and (hopefully) when he gets back. I wonder if they would consider carrying him on the roster to hit even if he was not quite ready to resume pitching?
ReplyDeleteHe's not due back until sometime in June, Will. I don't think they'd tie up a spot for his stick alone. Todd Frazier, judging by the taxi squad, would prob get that call if they needed a fifth bench guy but I think they value the pitching more highly at this point.
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