Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Milwaukee Brewers 3: Stars And Stiffs

The Pittsburgh Pirates won game one of their three game series in Milwaukee against the Brewers by a score of 6-3 on Tuesday night.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are back to .500 on the season. After earning a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, the Bucs are now 75-75 this season. Due to this win, the Pirates have now won five consecutive games at Miller Park for the first time since winning six straight at the house of horrors back in 2002.

While the Pittsburgh Pirates did not get the best of starts from Steven Brault, everything else went according to plan on Tuesday night. The offense scored early and often, the bullpen did excellent work, and the Pirates cruised to their 75th victory. The Pirates now find themselves at 6-3 through the first nine games of their final road trip of the season.

The Pirates extremely slim playoff hopes also remained alive with the win. The Pirates now find themselves four and a half games behind the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals, while being four game in back of the San Francisco Giants, in the race for the two National League Wild Card spot. Here are the Pittsburgh Pirates three stars and stiffs from Tuesday night’s victory in Milwaukee.

STARS

Left fielder Adam Frazier – With Starling Marte continuing to nurse a bad back Adam Frazier got yet another start in left field for the Pirates on Tuesday night. And in Tuesday’s game Adam Frazier did Adam Frazier things. What are Adam Frazier things you ask? They are recording hits and getting on base.

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Tuesday night was already the fourth career three hit game for Adam Frazier. He would go one to finish the night 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. After his three hit performance on Tuesday night Adam Frazier now owns a .354/.407/.496/.903 slash line, .389 wOBA, and a 148 wRC+ this season. Frazier continues to make a strong push for more playing time in 2017.

First baseman Josh Bell – The Pittsburgh Pirates’ first baseman came to the plate three times on Tuesday night. In these three trips to the plate Bell recorded a hit, a walk, and he scored a run. Also, Bell’s one hit was a big one as it drove in a pair of runs.

Despite finishing the night 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs batted in, the hardest hit ball by Josh Bell came in the lone at bat he was retired. In the top of the sixth inning with men on second and third and two outs Bell tattooed a ball up the middle. In fact, this may have been the hardest hit ball of the night by either team. However, Bell was retired on a great diving catch by Brewer second baseman Jonathan Villar.

Josh Bell continues to put together great at bats, get base hits, and get on base. In Josh Bell the Pittsburgh Pirates have a player that is on his way to becoming one of baseball’s elite hitters.

Center fielder Andrew McCutchen – Since August 5th Andrew McCutchen has been arguably the Pirates’ best hitter. After struggling through the first two months of the season, McCutchen started to turn it on on August 5th. And in the two months since then he has looked like his old self.

This continued on Tuesday night for McCutchen. In Tuesday night’s game Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs knocked in. McCutchen got the scoring started in the game back ripping a two-run double to the left field corner to give the Pirates a quick 2-0 lead. After how badly McCutchen struggled through the first four months of the season it is great to see him finishing the season so strong.

STIFFS

Starting pitcher Steven Brault – I have said it before, and I will say it again, Steven Brault is not a Major League starting pitcher. On Tuesday night Brault made his seventh career Major League start. And, like the first six, things did not go very well.

Despite being given a 5-2 lead, Steven Brault could not get through five innings on Tuesday night. Brault pitched 4+ innings and was lifted for Jared Hughes after he allowed a walk and an infield single to begin the fifth inning. Hughes then cleaned things up with a double play ball and a strikeout.

In the end Brault allowed three runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in 4+ innings pitched. Brault has now pitched 31 2/3 innings in the Major Leagues and he has allowed 39 hits, four home runs, and he has walked 14 batters. Due to this, Brault has a 4.26 ERA, 4.65 FIP, and a 4.71 xFIP.

If Steven Brault has a future in the Major Leagues, in my opinion, it is as a relief pitcher. Brault does not possess three quality Major League pitches. Without three quality pitches, no one can make it as a starting pitcher in the Big Leagues. Just ask one Juan Nicasio.

Right fielder Gregory Polanco – In Tuesday night’s victory the Pirates’ right fielder was just 1-for-4. Polanco started Tuesday night 0-for-3 at the plate. Due to this, Polanco found himself hitless in his last 14 at bats. This included a pop out to center field in the first inning with Andrew McCutchen on second base and no one out.

However, Polanco was able to record a base hit in his final at bat of the game. This came when Polanco collected a one out single in the top of the seventh inning. While on the bases he also swiped his 14th bag of the season. Hopefully that hit can get Polanco, who has been terrible in September, going again.

Third baseman Jung Ho Kang – After seemingly not being able to make an out earlier on the road trip, Jung Ho Kang now finds himself scuffling. Kang’s recent struggles continued on Tuesday night as he was held hitless. Furthermore, Kang also committed an error in this game.

Jung Ho Kang finished Tuesday night’s game 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts. This included Kang stranding four base runners. Also, Kang committed a fielding error in the bottom of the first inning allowing Chris Carter to reach base. Even though it did not cost the Pirates a run, it did cost Steven Brault a 1-2-3 inning and forced him to throw nine extra pitches.

Next: McCutchen's Strong Finish

That will do it for game one from Milwaukee. The Pittsburgh Pirates are now back to .500, at 75-75, on the season. Furthermore, they have now won four consecutive games at Miller Park. Which is something that seems borderline miraculous.

Game two of this three game series will be on Wednesday night at 8:10 PM. The Pirates will send Chad Kuhl to the hill, and the Brewers will counter with Jimmy Nelson. Can the Pirates win five in a row in Milwaukee? We will find out on Wednesday night.

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