Pirates Sloppy In 5-2 Loss to Bravos

After a bit of a rain delay, the game opened with Mike Foltynewicz tossing a clean frame; Cole Train was touched for a single. JJ doubled in the second and was left aboard; a Bravo knock was erased on a DP for a 1-2-3 inning. The Bucs drew first blood in the third. A Jordy single and Fraze walk paid off when J-Hays one-out grounder was misplayed into an infield single; a run scored and the runners ended up on second and third. Cutch, who has been icy against RHP (.168 BA, .231 OBP), K’ed and J-Bell’s bouncer left the ducks on the pond. Gerrit had a rough frame; a double and single tied it, although Fraze helped the cause by throwing out Darby Swanson at second as he tried to claim an extra sack. It helped when Brandon Phillips, who owned Cole as a Red, took him deep to make it 2-1. To start the fourth, Freeser was called out on strikes on a ball that was clearly not over the dish; he beefed and was bounced. Clint joined him in the showers after he added his two cents worth. With two gone, a walk and a knock caused some smoke, but Cole Train couldn’t help his own cause.

Between innings, Josh moved to third and Alen Hansen to second. A pair of singles and a bopped batter with one away put Gerrit in a bind, but he cooled the 8-9 hitters to keep it a one-run game. Cole’s laboring tonight and already at 76 pitches, but he’s keeping his club alive. Fraze opened the fifth with an infield knock. An out later, Andrew’s day stayed as dark as the clouds as he banged into an around-the-horn DP. The Bravos got a leadoff single and went to third on Phillip’s knock; JJ played the ball like a 1B allowing it to fall. A rocket to J-Hay turned into an error and it was 3-1. Cole Train got the DP a batter later, with Jordy shook up. The ball hit his throwing hand tho he still got off the feed, and after a visit from the trainer stayed in the game. Matt Adams got a two-out, two-strike curve and crushed it for a two-run shot. A walk followed and that brought in Johnny Barbato; Cole Train was at 100 tosses. JB gave up a rap before shutting it down.

J-Bell, Hanson and JJ opened the sixth with knocks to plate a run and leaving Corsairs on the corners. Jason Motte took the ball and K’ed Cervy after falling behind 3-0, then got Jordy to chase a 3-2 offering that was ball four. So the ol’ runner at third, less than two outs at-bats have resulted in three Pirate whiffs, all swinging. Jose Osuna grabbed a bat and at least put the ball in play, grounding out. Gift went to SS as Jordy’s hand was achy and Jhan Marinez took the bump. He gave up just a knock (to Ender Inciarte, who is 4-for-4) in his first Bucco outing. Jose Ramirez got the call for the seventh and sat the Pirates down in order. The Bravos went quietly too. Arodys Vizcaino worked the eighth and walked J-Bell who was left anchored. Jhan walked the leadoff Brave and with two gone, Inciarte collected his fifth hit and a following walk filled the sacks. Huddy came on, with Danny Ortiz going to right in a double-switch, and fanned Matt Kemp. Jim Johnson put it to bed in the ninth.

It was the April Pirates flashback. Bad glovework, runners left on third, and shutdowns by opposing bullpens. Cole Train labored, but with a little help in the field, his line would be a lot more palatable. Might as well get it out of the system now and go get ‘em tomorrow.

Notes:

• Fraze’s multi-hit string was snapped, but he did have a knock, a walk and was plunked. JJ and Jordy had two hits and J-Bell had a rap and a free pass. And no word yet on Jordy’s hand; we’ll find out more tomorrow.
• Gerrit Cole had gone six innings or more giving up two earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts; tonight snapped both streaks. The 10 hits he surrendered tonight are his season high.
• Both clubs left runs all over Sun Trust Park – they combined to go 4-for-19 w/RISP and strand 19 runners.
• The Bucs were OK on the road last year at 40-41 but are just 8-16 so far this campaign.
• Ender Inciarte’s five-hit game (all singles, but mostly well stroked) was his career best.