Bucs Broomed By Dodgers 11-7

Arch walked the first batter on a full count; two of the four balls were clean strikes *sheesh* and an out later (a nice diving grab by Bryan Reynolds), LA got an infield single. No damage was caused by the two cheapos, though. Kenta Maeda tossed a clean, 10-pitch opener. Corey Seager homered on the first pitch of the second, then the next pair of Dodgers (the 7-8 hitters) walked and were bunted along. Arch did keep them there; he’s dodging the raindrops early on. The Bucs showed a spark. J-Bell started with a rap and Bryan Reynolds knocked a pitch into the bleachers; he was hunting a 3-0 heater and got one. Then Redbeard singled before Maeda settled down. LA opened the third with a knock; it’d be a little easier on Archie if he could get the leadoff guy out. But he punched out the next set of Trolley Dodgers and got a grounder to ease on out. The Bucs went down quietly. Archer got the first out in the fourth – yay – then walked the eight hitter *sigh* who was bunted up but not cashed in. Redbeard slapped a two-out single to right, costing Kenta five more tosses.

Max Muncy started the fifth with a 12-pitch walk; Arch is up to 84 pitches. That was followed by a single and another walk. Arch griped about the zone – he lost a couple of borderline calls – and was less pleased when Matt Beaty, hitting .190, bounced a two-run seeing-eye rap into right. A soft grounder plated another Dodger, and another knock put Left Coasters at first and second. A strikeout/wild pitch moved them up before Maeda grounded out. Fraze got a run back with a blast to center; it’s 4-3 after five. Montana DuRapau got the sixth; his second pitch was launched over the fence by Joc Pederson. An out later, a single/double combo kept him in hot water. Fraze booted a ball to let a run leak in, followed by a walk and bopped batter; homeward trotted another Dodger. Dovy Neveraukas came in, and he clipped his first hitter. A sac fly and single brought in two more. It was 10-3 before the onslaught ended. The Bucs put together a walk and small herd of singles to answer with three runs of their own off Caleb Ferguson, leaving Pittsburgh with a weak pulse at 10-6.

Clay Holmes got the seventh, and a walk, grounder and single added another tally. Pedro Baez put up a zero, leaving a walk aboard. Holmes hit the first batter in the eight, but a K and 4-6-3 DP mopped it up. Yimi Garcia gave up a knock but no runs. Kyle Crick was waved in for the ninth after three days off, and was tapped for a single. Ross Stripling surrendered a run on a Fraze single and Gregory two-bagger on his way to pulling the plug.

The Dodgers are a better team than Pittsburgh, no question. But you have to wonder if Frankie got the sixth inning how the game would have turned. The Dodgers had the top of their lefty lineup due, and they hit .290 w/143 OPS+ against RHP. But Clint didn’t call on him (too early in the game for his money, maybe), and the game got away at that point. Yet he used Crick in the ninth while behind five runs; maybe he needs a little flexibility in his role-playing, though a doubleheader coming up and Indy’s bullpen in Pirate unis could have colored his judgment. Something does have to be addressed, though – the Bucs allowed 12 free runners with eight walks, three bopped batters and a boot. At least Mitch Keller doesn’t have the bar set too high for his start tomorrow.

Notes:

• Colin Moran had three hits while Fraze and Bryan Reynolds added a pair.
• The Dodgers have won 10 straight against the Pirates and are 11-1 against the Bucs in the past two seasons.
• The crowd was announced at 25,260.
• Neal suggested that Mitch Keller’s stay in Pittsburgh is yet TBD, saying “He could be one and back…or get an extended opportunity.” Sounds like the door is ajar if he can impress.
• Cervy was the 22nd Pirates player to hit the IL in 2019; that’s the most going back to 2000 per Elias Sports, and with four more months left in the campaign. Jose Osuna will be the 41st player and Mitch Keller the 42nd carried on the Pirates MLB roster this season; they went through 48 all of last year.
• Corey Dickerson started in left today for Indy during his rehab visit; he crashed into the wall to rob a homer (and the shoulder survived) then added an RBI knock (he did K twice).
• The Dodgers eight doubles last night set a franchise record.