Bravos Belt Three More Bombs, Take Series With 7-1 Spanking of the Bucs

Today's Game: Adam Frazier dropped a single into left to start it up against Max Fried, and an out later Bryan Reynold's two-bagger drew first blood for the Bucs. A bouncer and a walk left Pirates on the corners, where they remained after Gregory Polanco's liner to the RF corner was run down. JT Brubaker gave up a two-out pair of singles (the latter could easily have been charged an error to Will Craig), followed by an Austin Riley homer two pitches later. It goes on... In the second, a walk, another out to the track and a nicely turned Bru bunt DP made for a quick second inning; the Bravos managed a single. Fried left a two-out walk aboard in the third. JT bopped Ozzie Albies with two away; Riley homered again and this contest is spiraling out of control, with two-out gifts followed by blasts. 

Bru could probably stand a brew about now - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

The Buccos and Braves both went quietly in the fourth and fifth. The sixth marked 10-in-a-row retired by Fried. Albies opened with a single off Fraze's glove, and an out later Dansby Swanson dropped one over the wall. Clay Holmes took over and closed it out. The Pirates got back-to-back raps with an out in the seventh but couldn't move anyone past second. Duane Underwood worked a 1-2-3 inning thx to a comebacker DP clearing a one-down walk. Chris Martin stepped on the hill in the eighth and sat the Pittsburgh side down in order. Kyle Crick returned to action; he ran the count full on two batters and gave up a fly to the wall, but despite it all tossed a clean frame. Edgar Santana survived a couple of stroked outs after an opening whiff in the ninth to tuck it in.

JT Brubaker and Tyler Anderson were the anchors, but now the questions arise: is the book out on them, have the innings begun to catch up (Bru threw 47 IP last year/49 this year and Tyler 59 in 2020/51 this year; neither has worked 100+ frames since 2018), is this a reversion to the mean or were the Braves just due to breakout? Maybe it's a mix of everything, but a summer pitching fade is the last thing a punchless club needs.

Notes:

• Bryan Reynolds and Will Craig each had a knock and a walk; the Pirates only managed four hits. 
• The Braves hit 15 homers during the four-game set. The Pirates have hit 30 big flies all season.
• Todd Frazier was named to the US Olympic Baseball team.

Tomorrow's Game: The Bucs are off tomorrow. They return to action Tuesday against the Cubs at PNC Park.