Can't Hit, Can't Win - Bucs Drop Opener To Giants 3-1

Today's Game: Wil Crowe tossed a calm first, stranding a free pass. The Bucs got a two-out Bryan Reynolds' walk and Jake Stallings' knock before Anthony DeSclafani whiffed Gregory Polanco. The Giants managed a two away infield single in the second, which was more than the Pirates could muster. Both sides went quietly in the third. The Giants got a fourth inning knock while the Bucs ran their up-and-down streak to 10. The Golden Gaters scored first when Steve Duggar, the eight hitter, banged his first homer of the season in the fifth. With two gone, the G-Men got back-to-back hits and a run when Jake's snap back throw to third went awry, and that was followed by a triple played like a T-Baller by Polanco to make it 3-0. Gloves do make a difference. It was another three up, three down frame for the Pirates. 

Chasen Shreve got the call in the sixth (Crowe was at 94 pitches) and gave up a knock and walk with two outs before escaping. Caleb Baragar got the ball, and yep, tossed a clean inning. Chris Stratton was called out for the seventh. He lost consecutive batters with one down, but a 6-4-3 DP carried him out of trouble. Zack Littell scaled the bump and B-Rey ended the outs streak at 16 with a double, but he never moved off second. Stratton fanned a pair in a 1-2-3 eighth. Camilo Doval toed the slab and surrendered Will Craig's first MLB hit, a 395' oppo dinger to right center. A Wilmer Difo rap caused no further damage. Clay Holmes worked the ninth and punched out two of three G-Men. Tyler Rogers looked to put it away. Polanco singled with two down, and ended up the last gasp as Erik Gonzalez flew out.

Will Craig will remember tonight - image AT&T SportsNet/Pirates

The Pirates have scored two or fewer runs in nine of their last 11 games and wasted lots of good pitching. They're offering lots of opportunity during the rebuild, but it doesn't look like many guys want to answer the knock.

Notes:

• Bryan Reynolds was the only Pirate to reach safely twice tonight with a knock and walk. He tied Kris Bryant for the MLB lead in doubles when he banged out his 14th two-bagger.
• Going into tonight, Jake Stallings has caught 11 baserunners attempting to steal since the start of the 2020 season to lead the NL and join a four-way tie for the most CS's among MLB catchers during that span. Meanwhile, the Bucs are on the leaderboard this season with 15 swipes in 18 tries.
•  Flashing leather: Kevin Newman and San Francisco’s Brandon Crawford are the only two MLB shortstops without an error this season (minimum: 30 games played). Crawford sat out tonight with the wobblies after his Fauci ouchie.

Tomorrow's Game: First pitch is at 6:35 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan as Tyler Anderson takes on Kevin Gausman.