Today's Game: Adam Frazier opened with a single off Trevor Williams and stole second. The remainder of the Bucs fanned. With an out, the Cubs juiced the sacks against Wil Crowe following two knocks (one a swinging bunt that Colin Moran fumbled the throw) and a walk. A bopped batter made it 1-0, then Redbeard hurt himself on the next at bat, snagging a liner and then awkwardly landing while making a dive trying to double up the runner on first; he left the game with a gimpy left groin. Todd Frazier took over at first, and no further damage was wrought. Ka'ai Tom walked with an out in the second and swiped a sack, but that was it. The Cubbies went down 1-2-3. Fraze collected hit #2 with one away in the third and Phil Evans walked an out later, leading to nada. It was another clean inning for Crowe. Erik Gonzalez started the fourth with a rap, and holy moly, Tom ripped a knee-high heater over the fence to give the Bucs the lead. Michael Perez reached via error with one gone. Crowe couldn't move him up, so Fraze's two bagger only got him to third, where he died. A single, wild pitch and single put Cubbies on the corners with one down. A short sac fly knotted the score, with the back runner moving to second on Wilmer Difo's double-clutched misfire, caused when the runner banged into Perez trying to field the throw (no interference, per the ump). Crowe 's pick-off to second ended the frame.
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| Wil Crowe making his case to stick - photo Pgh Pirates |
Keegan Thompson got the ball in the fifth. E-Gon's grounder got through; the other three didn't. Wil put down Windy City in order. Kevin Newman singled with an out and Fraze walked with two gone in the sixth to add to the nine Bucs left on base so far. The Baby Bears went down without a peep. The Bucs got a loud out from Evans and nothing else in the seventh. Sam Howard scaled the mound and gave up an opening walk and later steal. After fanning the next pair, Shelty waved in Clay Holmes for the R/R matchup with Matt Duffy. It didn't work; Duffy barely plated the lead run with a two-strike bloop when Perez couldn't drop the tag on Jason Heyward on the throw home, with the safe call surviving (correctly) a challenge. Andrew Chafin gave up a walk but no runs in the eighth. David Bednar spun a clean frame in reply. Craig Kimbrel lost Evans with two gone in the ninth but had no prob with the Toddfather, getting him on a foul pop.
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| E-Gon had a pair of hits - photo Pgh Pirates |
Strand 11 runners, go 0-fer w/RISP and desert your pitchers by failing to finish plays in the field...well, you end up with a team that's lost 8-of-9, the last four by one or two runs. And if Moran's injury is longer-term, one of the three Pirates pillars is gone with no obvious heir apparent in the pipeline. On the bright side, Fraze remains on fire and if Wil Crowe keeps on, the FO is gonna face a tough decision when Chad's ready to return.
Notes:
- Fraze singled on the second pitch of the game to extend his hitting streak to nine games. He collected three hits and drew a walk; E-Gon had two hits.
- Ka'ai Tom's homer wasn't only his first MLB big fly, but his first extra base hit. Of course, he's only had 32 big league at bats/four hits in the show prior to today.
- Chad Kuhl tossed live BP today. so he's closing in on a return to action.
- In ex-Bucco news, RHP Chris Archer (right lateral forearm tightness) has been placed on the 60-day IL by Tampa Bay and Keone Kela (forearm strain) went on the 10-day IL for San Diego.
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