Bucs Bounce Back 7-2 Behind Bru & Balanced Attack

Today's Game: JT Brubaker had a busy inning - a double and walk were sprinkled around two whiffs but per SOP, no runs. Adam Frazier started with a single off Jeff Hoffman, then Bryan Reynolds dropped an oppo ground rule double to set up the Bucs' shop. After a K and lineout, the Bucs did get on the board via a wild pitch. The Reds opened the second with a dribbler single that proved harmless. It was 1-2-3 for Pittsburgh. Cincy's leadoff man reached for the third straight time with a single, then was quickly caught stealing. Good thing; Jesse Winker crushed a fastball down Broadway on a 3-2 pitch and sent it into the Allegheny on one hop to tie the count. In the Buc half, Bru drew a free pass on five pitches, and Hoffman lost B-Rey an out later. They were stranded. It took JT seven tosses to sit down the Reds in the fourth. Ka'ai Tom was bopped with an out on a full-count curve and scored on Kevin Newman's triple to The Notch that popped out of a barehanded snag attempt. Troy Stokes' single sent K-Man home to make it 3-1. 

Fraze is hitting .312 - image Pgh Pirates

After a couple of hard-hit outs in the fifth, Cincy got a single but no more. Ryan Hendrix took the hill, and a walk to Reynolds turned into a run after Phil Evans smoked a two-bagger. After two outs, Cionel Perez came on to match lefty/lefty v Tom, who hit an at 'em ball to right for the third out. It was an eight-pitch sixth for Bru. Perez walked Stokes with one gone, and JT, who was at 81 pitches, was pinch hit for, but no more noise was made. Chris Patton took the hill in the seventh, giving up an innocuous two-out walk. Carson Fulmer, briefly a Bucco property, toed the rubber and left a walk aboard. David Bednar worked the eighth. A single/double combo plated a run, but Winker was nailed trying to advance to third, Tom-Stalling-Gonzalez (7-2-5). Bednar fanned the next hitter and Sam Howard came on to put it to rest. Ka'ai opened with a knock and an out later, Stokes' two-bagger made it 5-2. Sean Doolittle was beckoned and gave up a two-run, two-out blast to Fraze before closing it down. Rich Rodriguez had no blips in the ninth other than an infield knock; raise it.

Troy Stokes Jr got his first two MLB hits tonight - image Pgh Pirates

Great recovery after the thumping they took yesterday, and the lineup sure looks better when Stokes and Tom become part of it. But Bru has been the most pleasant surprise of the year, and every outing he looks more and more for real. It's early in the process, but some pieces may be falling into place and that's what the 2021 campaign is about.

Notes:

• Fraze and T-Strokes had two hits each and combined for a walk, double, homer, three runs and four RBI. B-Rey had a hit and two walks and Phil Evans had a knock and a walk.
• Hitting notes: Fraze's hitting streak is at 12 games; Bryan Reynolds had reached base via hit/walk seven straight times until grounding out in the seventh & Troy Stokes fourth inning single was his first MLB hit/RBI.
• Altoona's Roansy Contreras (part of the Jameson Taillon deal) tossed a six-inning no-hitter, walking two and fanning 11 on 70 pitches. The Curve finished with a one-hitter and 5-0 win.

Tomorrow's Game: Getaway game time is 12:35 and will be aired by AT&T SportsNet & KDKA 100.1 FM/1020 AM. Trevor Cahill will meet Sonny Gray to close out the set.