Bucs No-Hit Into the Eight, Drop Opener To Twins 2-0

Today's Game: JA Happ worked a quiet opening frame. JT Brubaker gave up a leadoff single off a glove, then cruised through with a 6-4-3 DP and strikeout. Pittsburgh worked two walks in the second and left them aboard when Wilmer Difo's two-out shot was hauled in on the track. It took Bru eighth pitches to go through the Twins. The Pirates went down in order in the third. Willians Astudillo broke up the zeroes with a solo shot off a two-out, chin-high, two-strike heater. Nada from the Bucs again in the fourth. The Twinkies put together back-to-back knocks with one gone but couldn't bring them around. Happ continued his hitless streak through the fifth, saved by an iffy out of baseline call on Difo, who appeared to have beaten out a dribbler. With an out in the Minny half, Jake Cave went deep on a fastball down Broadway that survived a review to make it 2-0. It was another 1-2-3 frame for Happ in the sixth; ditto for Bru.

Bru was on the wrong end of a pitching duel tonight
(photo Joe Sargent MLB Photos/Pirates)

The seventh was the same ol' for the Pirates. The Twinkies also went three-up, three-down. Jake Stallings broke up the no-no when he whacked a full count fastball up the LF line for a two-bagger with one away in the eighth. Tyler Duffey took the ball and walked Difo after being up 0-2. A grounder moved them up, but Adam Frazier K'ed in a not very strong at bat. Sam Howard took over  (Bru was only at 79 pitches, but...) and struck out the side. After a K to start the ninth, Duffey was replaced by Taylor Rogers, who wrapped it up.

The plus is that Bru continued his strong work, but when the top of the order has a bad night, the bottom is hard pressed to pick them up. So tip your cap to Happ and onto tomorrow...

Notes:

• Jake Stallings not only broke up JA Happ's no-hitter, but also snapped an 0-for-19 streak at the dish.
• Stats, spring stats and lies...Kevin Newman hit .606 in camp; he's batting .169 now.
• The Twins had lost four in-a-row before tonight; the Bucs failed at their second attempt in three nights to get to .500.

Tomorrow's Game: RHP Trevor Cahill goes against RHP Michael Pineda. The game starts at 2:10 and will be carried by AT&T SportsNet PITT2 & 93.7 The Fan.