Bucs Lead From Gate-to-Gate, Take Series With 4-2 Win Over G-Men

B-Rey singled with one gone, J-Bell did the same with two gone, and Joey O’s two-bagger plated Reynolds to put the Bucs up early on Jeff Samardzija. Joe Musgrove gave up a two-out triple to Brandon Belt on a ball that Joey O didn’t exactly shine on tracking down, but left Belt at third. Jake singled with one gone in the second and was bunted up to no avail. The G-Men also stranded a single. The Pirates went down quietly in the third. San Fran led off with consecutive raps, but Big Joe buckled down and put down a third zero. The Pirates added on in the fourth with a Tuck triple and Kevin Kramer sac fly. Moose shut down the Giants, and then got in on the action with a three-bagger of his own to lead off the fifth; Fraze’s single cashed him in. Big Joe then ran his streak to nine straight Giants retired.

Kramer walked with two away in the sixth and was nailed trying to steal a few pitches later. Yacksel Rios took over, and Evan Longoria launched a two-run homer. With two gone, a walk and bopped batter put Rios in a jam, but he wriggled out with no further bleeding. Jake launched The Shark’s second pitch of the seventh over the fence to pad the lead to 4-2. An out later, Andrew Suarez took over and finished up. Keone Kela fanned a pair and served a comebacker to sit down the G-Men. Suarez worked a 1-2-3 eighth. Ric Rod was tagged for a two-out rap, but put up a goose egg. Burch Smith got the ninth inning wave and spun a quiet frame. Felipe Vazquez walked the leadoff guy and a single put Giants runners on the corners. They died there after two punch outs and a bouncer; raise the Roger.

Good series for the Bucs as the pitching finally came around. Give Big Joe high marks; he spun shutout ball on a foot that will ache until the season ends. Whatever he has, the docs told him it won’t get worse if he can put up with the pain, and he did yeoman work today, lasting 72 tosses. The Pittsburgh attack did just enough, and it was a good job against a guy who’s been pretty hot during the second half of the season. It should be a good plane ride to Chicago, assuming everyone has their buds and headphones on.

Notes:

• Jake had two hits; no other Buc reached base safely more than once.
• Five Pittsburgh pitchers fanned 13 Giants today; every hurler had at least one K.
• Joe Musgrove is the first Pirates pitcher to hit a triple since Brian Burres in 2010 against the Braves. It was Big Joe’s first pro three-bagger.
• The Pirates Steven Brault goes tomorrow against the Cubs; hopefully, they can get some innings out of him. The Bucco bullpen has worked over 15 innings in this four-game set as only one starter lasted longer than five frames.