Bucs Take It In 10 Behind Redbeard & Ric Rod 6-5

Today's Game: After two were away, Freddy Peralta bopped Bryan Reynolds on a 3-2 pitch that caused no fuss. The Brewers banged out a homer, single and double with an out to take a 2-0 lead off Chad Kuhl and run his first-inning pitch count to 31. Erik Gonzalez opened the second with a double before Peralta sat down the 6-7-8 hitters, two by K. With two gone, Kuhl walked his counterpart on four pitches, then recovered to fan Jackie Bradley Jr. Phil Evans drew a two-out free pass in the third and Bryan Reynolds doubled him to third (Avisail Garcia played it off the wall beautifully to save the run). Colin Moran then went deep, and the Bucs were suddenly up 3-2. It was knotted soon enough when Garcia homered with an out in the Crew half. A walk was the Pirates output in the fourth, though it at least turned the order over. The Brew Crew went down 1-2-3. Both sides left a man aboard in the fifth. Angel Perdomo took over in the sixth. With Buccos on first and second with two gone, Brad Boxberger came in to get Wilmer Difo. Sam Howard scaled the hill. With two away and a runner on first, David Bednar got the ball and walked a man before tucking the Crew away.

Richard Rodriguez - image MLB Network

Adam Frazier dropped a single into left to start the seventh and came trotting home ahead of Bryan Reynolds, who launched a one-out bomb to give the Bucs a 5-3 lead. Again, the margin didn't last long. Chris Stratton was called in, and a bunt single followed by Dan Vogelbach's second dinger tied it up at fives. Devin Williams claimed the slab in the eighth and gave up a one-down knock to Kevin Newman but no other damage. Kyle Crick tossed a clean frame. Josh Hader and Richard Rodriguez shut it down in the ninth, and it was on to bonus baseball. JP Feyereisen worked the 10th; the free runner at second, B-Rey, scored on a Redbeard double. The Bucs added a walk but no insurance. Ric-Rod stayed on and 1-2-3'ed the Brewers; Raise it!

Nice to see the guys win a close game, and even nicer to see Bryan Reynolds and Colin Moran developing as a 1-2 punch, something the mostly punchless Pirates were lacking heading into the year. Small sample size, to be sure, but promising. As for Chad, lasting five innings is a start, especially with the first frame blues still wailing.

Notes:

• Colin Moran, Bryan Reynolds and Erik Gonzalez each had two hits. B-Rey & Redbeard had all six RBI and scored four times between them with a homer apiece.
• Chad Kuhl has given up 10 first-inning runs in four starts with eight hits, three HR and seven walks. He's given up three runs in the following 11-2/3 IP.
• Interesting moves: in the sixth, Shelty moved Bryan Reynolds to center, Phil Evans to left, E-Gon to third and K-Man to short with Dustin Fowler going to the bench. 
• Ke’Bryan Hayes will join the alternate site (minor league) team Tuesday in Toledo to play against the Tiger B-Team. How long he'll be with the alternate camp guys is TBD; the Pirates will be in Detroit from Tuesday-Thursday, so he'll be just a finger snap away.

Tomorrow's Game: The Pirates have the day off before opening in Detroit. Tyler Anderson will open the set on Tuesday for the Bucs against Motown's Michael Fulmer.