No rain, no runs; Pirates 3, Brewers 0 behind Bucs’ Trevor Williams

WP: Trevor Williams (14-9); LP: Zach Davies (2-7); Save: Felipe Vazquez (36); Homeruns: none

Box Score

The Pittsburgh Pirates (78-75) used the most excellent start from Taylor Williams to shut out the Milwaukee Brewers (88-67) 3-0 at PNC Park. Williams, for the second start against the Crew in a week, worked six shutout innings, this time allowing four hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Three relievers completed the white-wash.

The loss was costly, as the Cardinals and Cubs both won. That moves the Crew back to 2.5 behind Chicago, and 2 ahead of the Cards. The Rockies lead the D’Backs early. Dang.

While the Brewers were having no luck against Williams, the Pirates had a bit of luck in the third inning against Zach Davies. In a scoreless game, with two down and nobody on base, and Williams at the plate, the Bucs managed to get two runs. Williams topped a roller down the third base line that Mike Moustakas tried to play with his bare hand, but dropped. Moose probably would have gotten the out if he had gloved the ball, but it went for an infield hit.

Brewer killer Adam Frazier golfed a single to center, and Starling Marte pulled a double down the left field line to drive in two. 2-0 Pittsburgh.

Davies was removed for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth with Erik Kratz (single) on first and one down. Eric Thames got the call, and this time Thames didn’t strike out. He hit into an easy double play.

It looked like Pittsburgh might blow it open against Brandon Woodruff in the bottom half of the inning. Woody walked third string catcher Jacob Stallings with one down, and Frazier had ANOTHER hit, putting runners on first and third. Marte was hit on the hand on an 0-2 pitch to load things up. It appeared that the ball hit the bat as it hit Marte, but he took his base. Josh Bell hit the ball hard, but he hit it to semi-deep left center, and it has to be seriously deep to left center to get out...Yelich hauled it in for the final out of the inning.

I write about the Pirates’ innings because the Milwaukee innings were really boring. Oh, sure, there was that riveting third inning when Davies singled with one out and Yelich drew a two out walk to bring up Ryan Braun, but Braunie grounded into a third base unassisted fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Xavier Cedeno came on for the sixth and gave up a single to the lefty (Corey Dickerson) he came in for, then struck out a righty, Jordan Luplow. A wild pitch had moved Dickerson to second. Craig Counsell went with the Brewers version of a T. Williams (Taylor), and it worked. After an infield hit (kinda), a strikeout and fielder’s choice ended the inning. Actually, BA and Rock were discussing walking Stallings with two down to force Clint Hurdle’s hand and try and get that other Williams (Trevor) out of the game. It was interesting, but moot. Hurdle took him out anyhoo.

After using Woodruff, Cedeno, Williams, and Joakim Soria, the Brewers finally found a combination of pitchers to allow another run in the bottom of the eighth. Not surprisingly, it was the combination of Dan Jennings and Jacob Barnes. Jennings gave up a hit and fielder’s choice, and then Barnes had a walk and an RBI single from Colin Moran to give up an inherited runner. 3-0 Buccos.

The final match-up of the season between the Pirates and Brewers comes tomorrow afternoon, with Wade Miley (5-2, 2.08) going for the series win. The Pirates will counter with Nick Kingham (5-6, 4.69). Joe Musgrove had originally been slated for the start, but will miss the rest of the season due to a hip injury.

Game Notes

• Erik Kratz had a nice game defensively, throwing out Starling Marte trying to steal third in the first inning and saving a run by blocking a very wild pitch from Taylor Williams.
• I don’t know if BA was being facetious, but he said that Travis Shaw was tossed last night by home plate ump Marty Foster for yelling “Stop looking at me!” That seems like a bit of an over-reaction by Foster.
• Yelich’s ninth inning double high off the right-centerfield wall leaves him at .320 on a 1-3 night. Scooter Gennett was 1-4 and sits at .316.
• I don’t want to talk about this game anymore. Go get ‘em tomorrow.