LA Sweeps Bucs 6-3

Today's Game: No rain, but Mitch Keller could have used a little delay; Mookie Betts homered into center off the third pitch Kells served. Ke'Bryan Hayes doubled for the Bucs against Julio Urias but it led to nothing. LA put together a knock and walk with one away in the second. Mitch walked them full with two gone and left them jammed. Phil Evans singled to open and scored on Eric Gonzalez's double; a wild pitch moved him up and a short fly by Tom got E-Gon thrown out at home on a Betts bullet; good wave, better throw. A bopped batter followed by a single and another HBP (both on 0-2 pitches) juiced the sacks in the third. A sac fly brought home a run. A two-out intentional walk loaded 'em up again for Urias, who lined a two-run single to right. In came Chris Stratton to fan Betts and keep it at 4-1. Fraze banged a two-bagger with an out; he was thrown out at third on a comebacker. But it worked out fine when Bryan Reynolds went deep to cut the margin to one. 

Phil the Thrill led the Bucs with two hits - image Pittsburgh Pirates

After an out and walk in the fourth, Chasen Shreve took the ball and served a shift-induced 3-5-3 DP. Evans opened with a rap, but nada else was cookin' for Pittsburgh. Big Blue went down in order in the fifth; ditto the Pirates. Duane Underwood took the hill in the sixth, and a leadoff walk did him no harm. The Bucs went quietly. The Dodgers got back-to-back one-out knocks in the seventh, and a third single made it 5-3. A walk filled the bases and David Bednar got the call. A force at home and three-pitch strikeout kept the game in hand. Phil Bickford climbed the mound and sat down the Buccos without sweat. The eighth inning was given over to Kyle Crick as rain began to fall at PNC Park. The Los Angelinos started with a knock and walk; another single made it 6-3. A couple of pitches more and the tarp came out, and an hour or so later, the game was called.

The series was competitive, but the Dodgers made a couple of more plays in the field and at bat, and that made all the difference. C' est la vie, on to Milwaukee and some stingy pitching.

Notes:

• Phil Evans had two hits; the Bucs had six knocks in all and zero walks.
• Fraze set a personal high by extending his hitting streak to 13 games. It's the third time this campaign that he's strung together 10+ game hitting streaks.
• A couple of field observations: Colin Moran was on the bench, so his hand doesn't appear to be a major issue after being clipped yesterday, and Trevor Cahill was in the bullpen, likely an omen of what his future role may be.
• Today was the sixth time in 12 starts that Mitch Keller failed to make it to the fifth inning.
• In case you're wondering, yah, the first inning is still the Pirates pitching bane. They've given up 54 runs (51 earned; 7.52 ERA) in 61 IP.
• The attendance was announced at 9,396.

Tomorrow's Game: The Pirates are off to Milwaukee and American Family Field to meet the Brewers in an 8:10 match. It will be carried by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Chase De Jong is on the bump for Pittsburgh and will open against Brandon Woodruff.