Bucs bash Braves again
ATLANTA — Ivan Nova was ticked off. He really wanted another complete game.
Nova pitched into the ninth inning before tiring, local favorite Adam Frazier hit a three-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates pounded Bartolo Colon for a 9-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday afternoon.
After breezing through the first six innings, facing only three over the minimum, Nova (5-3) came up short in his bid to become the first pitcher in the majors with three complete games this year. He went to the ninth with a 9-2 lead but was lifted after giving up three hits, and Jhan Marinez got the final two outs
“It’s frustrating,” Nova said. “To go out in the ninth inning with that lead, I’ve got to finish it off. I didn’t make the pitches I needed to make, and it almost got away from us.”
Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle had no complaints. Nova retired 19 hitters on three or fewer pitches and only went to three balls on one batter — Kurt Suzuki, who walked in the second. The only solace for the Braves: It was the first time in Nova’s three career appearances against them that they’ve scored an earned run.
“He knows how to attack,” Hurdle said. “There’s an art to pitching. He’s not throwing. He’s pitching.”
The Pirates split the four-game series at SunTrust Park after losing the first two, and they made the final one look easy with a five-run third inning that was capped by Frazier’s third homer this season. Thursday’s first pitch came less than 13 hours after Pittsburgh rallied to win 12-5 by hitting three home runs in the 10th inning Wednesday night.
Thursday was another big day for Frazier, a rookie left fielder who grew up about an hour away from Atlanta, near Athens. The previous night, the leadoff hitter reached base safely in all six plate appearances with a home run, a single and four walks.
“That’s pretty awesome,” he said, beaming.
Colon (2-5) had another tough outing. One day after his 44th birthday, he allowed seven runs and 10 hits in a five-inning stint that raised his ERA to 6.96. An All-Star last season for the New York Mets, Colon has been charged with five or more runs in half of his 10 starts with the Braves.
“It’s on me,” he said through a translator. “When you get behind on the count, you have to throw it down the middle. That’s what hurts you.”
When asked if Colon would stay in the rotation, manager Brian Snitker said, “As of right now, yes.”
He added: “I look at the guy’s track record. I’ve got the feeling that a guy who has survived as long as he has will find a way to make the adjustments he needs to do to be successful.”
Matt Wisler worked two hitless innings in his return to the Atlanta bullpen. He was recalled from Class AAA Gwinnett after Josh Collmenter was designated for assignment.
Collmenter was dumped after pitching Wednesday’s disastrous 10th inning, when the Pirates scored seven runs.