Cubs Hit Homers, Pirates Don't In 4-2 Home Opener Loss

Today's Game: It's a beautiful day for baseball in Pittsburgh; God did his part, and we'll see if the Pirates follow suit. Kris Bryant homered off Tyler Anderson to draw first blood, so at least he liked it. The Bucs opened with a an Adam Frazier single against Jake Arrieta but out later, Bryan Reynolds bounced into a successfully challenged (by the Cubs) DP. Chicago started the second with a pair of knocks, but an around-the-horn DP and whiff closed that door. Gregory Polanco doubled ahead of Jake Stallings & Dustin Fowler walks with two away before Anderson fanned. Chi-Town stranded a double in the third; the Bucs started with a single/walk duet and a fly tag put Pirates on the corners. Colin Moran didn't see a pitch near the plate but still managed to K and another fly ended it. The Cubs got a single in the fourth, erased on a pickoff/rundown. Gregory and Jake got it going with knocks to occupy the corners. Fowl's sac fly to the track knotted the score before Anderson K'ed again, but Fraze came through with a single for the lead.

Anderson remains steady as she goes - photo Pirates

The Baby Bruins got a two-out rap in the fifth, quickly cut down at second by B-Rey after an ill-advised attempt to stretch it to two. Redbeard doubled with an out, but two well stroked balls afterward found Cubbie mitts. The long ball did Anderson in again; Javy Baez's two-run golf shot off a shin-high change in the sixth reclaimed the lead for Chicago. A seeing-eye single brought on Clay Holmes to finish up. Pittsburgh went 1-2-3 in their half. Kyle Crick was called on in the seventh and worked a quiet frame, as did Rex Brothers. Sam Howard took the ball with an out in the eighth; Bryant sent his first pitch into the seats to make it 4-2. A walk, stolen base and bouncer brought on David Bednar to get the third out. Dan Winkler toed the rubber with an out and walked the bases full. Craig Kimbrel was waved in and knuckle-curved a pair of swinging punch outs on balls outside the zone. Richard Rodriguez and Kimbrel exchanged clean ninths, and that was all she wrote.

The Pirates didn't hurt themselves with walks, fielding blunders, mental gaffes or little league baserunning today, but were 1-for10 w/RISP and stranded 10, and that did them in. They don't have much team muscle, but their potential two-base power has to show up sooner or later. As for Anderson, he's done exactly as expected, giving the team some competitive innings as a back ender which is his niche. 

Notes:

• Gregory had two hits and a walk; maybe the day off helped reinforce his stay-back approach. Jake had a hit and walked twice to help keep the bottom of the order turning.
• The attendance was 7,749, a Covid-limited sellout.
• David Bednar, Bucco reliever from Mars in Butler county, took the mound to "Renegade." Pittsburgh fans everywhere applauded his walk up musical taste.
• Pirates pitchers have allowed 14 HR, tops in the majors.

Tomorrow's Game: The teams are off tomorrow. They pick it up again on Saturday night with Mitch Keller taking on Zach Davies.