Alcantara, Aguilar & Misplay Enough To Carry Marlins To 3-1 Win To Avoid Sweep

Today's Game: Chad Kuhl opened with a clean, eight-pitch frame. An error and infield single put Sandy Alcantara in some quick difficulties, but a 6-4-3 DP almost carried him out of it. Colin Moran made lemonade out of the lemon, doubling in a run on the first pitch to give the Bucs the early lead. It didn't last long. Yesterday's nemesis, Jesus Aguilar, started the second with a 444' solo shot over The Notch before Kuhl settled in. A comebacker, walk, and 4-6-3 DP took care of the Pirates. Chad walked the pitcher in the third, escaping without any other blips. Ke'Bryan Hayes collected his second hit with two away to no avail. The fourth went quietly for Miami, with Bryan Reynolds running down Aguilar's shot just short of the track in dead center. It took eight pitches for the Bucs to go down. A single in the fifth was all the action the Fish had. Ben Gamel started off with a two-bagger and a grounder moved him up, but Kuhl K'ed and an Adam Frazier bouncer left him there.

It was a good outing by Chad today - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

The Marlins opened the sixth with a bopped batter followed by a knock. He fed a potential DP ball to Corey Dickerson, but Erik Gonzalez clanged the throw while trying to make the turn; everyone was safe and a run scored; Aguilar's deep sac fly made it 3-1. B-Rey drew a free pass with one away and that was it; Starling Marte may have saved a run by running down Gregory Polanco's gapper to left center with two down. Austin Davis took the hill for the first time this year in the seventh and tossed a seven-pitch, 1-2-3 frame. E-Gon opened with a rap, followed by three routine outs. Luis Oviedo was called on for the eighth and struck out the side around a walk. Fraze opened with a double; the next Buc trio couldn't get the ball out of the infield. Aguilar smoked a single to start the ninth; an around-the-horn DP cleaned that up. A single followed, then a K put it to bed for Oviedo. Yimi Garcia took the ball from Alcantara and a dozen tosses later, the Fish had salvaged the series finale.

When you can't hit the ball, you gotta catch it. When you have trouble doing both, it's usually a bad day. But it was a nice step for Chad Kuhl, who deserved better than he got. The opponent's pay grade steps up with the Dodgers arriving Tuesday.

Notes:

• Key had two hits while Ben Gamel added a knock and a walk.
• Michael Perez caught his first base stealer today, making him 1-of-12 per Baseball Reference.
• The attendance was 5,477.
• Ben Cherington said on his radio show that Mitch Keller still has a chance to make his next start Thursday, so his Covid listing doesn't seem too serious. The GM thinks the team group will be at 85% vax rate by next week. He added that prospect RHP Miguel Yajure was shut down as a precautionary move and will get the rest treatment.

Tomorrow's Game: Monday is an off day before the Dodgers come to town for a three-game set starting on Tuesday with JT Brubaker taking the hill v Walker Buehler. The opener starts at 7:05 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. It's also Pup Night for Bucco doggo fans.