Cubs Get Mandatory Solo Shot, But Bucs Finally Score To Take 3-1 Win

J-Grove opened with a clean 10-pitch frame. Corey D led off with a knock against Tyler Chatwood and Sweet Baby Jane, Starling bounced into a 6-4-3 DP to make an easy start for Chatty. Big Joe missed a flip from Fraze to allow Anthony Rizzo to reach in the second, but he came back to get a 6-4-3 DP of his own. A rap and a comebacker took him to the dugout. J-Bell and Cervy walked, then Fraze banged an 0-2 change for a two-bagger and a run; yay on all counts. Red Beard’s right-side grounder plated Cervy and Hechy’s sac fly brought in Fraze. Good times! Big Joe almost shut Chicago down in the third, but with two outs, he fell behind Ben Zobrist 2-0 and Z drilled a heater into the RF seats. Dickerson walked to start the Bucs off. Randy Rosario took the ball; Starling grounded into another 6-4-3 DP and RR cruised out. Chi-town went quietly in the fourth. J-Bell became the fourth Buc to reach leading off, hustling out a left side bleeder. No damage done; Fraze was rung up, book-ended by a pair of garden variety outs.

With an out in the fifth, the Baby Bruins used a bunt single and a well-executed hit-and-run to occupy the corners. A whiff and pop to center left them there. Musgrove beat out a bunt with an out (although it took a challenge to get the call) with Jesse Chavez on the hill, followed by Corey D’s single. The Bucs left them there as Jason Heyward made a nice grab of Gregory’s liner that hung up just long enough for the snag. Then Heyward opened the sixth with a soft roller to second; he was originally rung up but won a reversal after a review. (Both challenges were pretty obvious overturns; the first base ump, Chad Fairchild, is having a tough day). He moved up on another gentle grounder but advanced no further. Amore singled with an out; his other three mateys fanned. With two away in the seventh, Fraze muffed a ball, but J-Grove was dealing and all it cost was one more pitch. Brandon Kintzler gave up a two-out double to the smokin’ Corey D, but Starling fanned. Big Joe’s night was done, giving up a run on five hits with seven K after 87 tosses.

Kyle Crick took the ball in the eighth and gave up a Zobrist leadoff single. A tapper moved him up but he was left at second. Jorge De La Rosa answered the bell, and the Pirates got a walk and a knock with two away but failed to cash in. Felipe Vazquez took the ball and J-Hay took over at second. The Nightmare was nasty, striking out a pair in a clean frame. RTJR!

Nice to get a win after such good pitching. The offense for both clubs is on vacation – each side has scored three runs in three games. The Bucs have scored in one inning so far during this set, but at least today they showed a little patience at the dish, though hitting fat fastballs is still a problem. Starling is especially mired in tough times; we wonder if he’ll get a sit-down, even with Clint’s patience with vets. Pittsburgh will go for the split tomorrow afternoon.

Notes:

• Corey D went 3-for-3 with a walk, Fraze had a 2-for-4 night with a clutch double, Cervy had a hit & two walks while J-Bell had a knock & a walk.
• Fireworks, the Bucs, and a nice summer night drew a crowd of 35,100 to the ol’ yard tonight despite the five game skid.
• The Pirates snapped a 24-inning scoreless streak with Fraze’s RBI double.
• LHP Daniel Zamora, 25, was called up by the Mets. He’s the Altoona pitcher that the Bucs sent to NY for Josh Smoker during the off season.
• Frankie Liriano reportedly cleared waivers. His ERA is an ugly 4.72, but he’s held left-handed hitters to a .141/.247/.239 slash, so if someone’s looking for a LOOGY…