Jameson Taillon took the fearful blow off a Hernan Perez line drive. The 32-year-old is 2-3 with a 4.35 ERA in nine career starts against the Pirates.
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Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was ejected three batters into the game for arguing with home plate umpire Sam Holbrook, who ruled a chopper that appeared to hit Braun as he exited the batters’ box a foul ball.
Locke was lifted after loading the bases in the fourth on a pair of walks around Villar’s single. “My thing this year is we get two runs, and then I give up three”. Jared Hughes eventually escaped the jam but not before walking Chris Carter with the bases loaded to force in a run. Taillon never lost consciousness, saying “I remember everything”.
“I felt like I dealt with it pretty well”, Taillon said.
Taillon struck out one batter and allowed two hits before the incident and gave up four more hits and one run with two more strikeouts and no walks before being removed after six innings and 65 pitches.
Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while showing no ill effects from a sore left hamstring that kept him sidelined since July 8. Counsell is hopeful his team’s gritty performance against one of the better closers in the game can provide a boost going forward. “I think I came up with a runner on third and less than two outs three times, and whenever you do that, it’s a lot of fun”. “He said ‘that’s enough.’ I thought it was a little early to say ‘that’s enough.’ Obviously, that was enough”.
Locke seemed like he might be that guy when he went 3-0 with a 3.57 ERA in his previous four starts and also pitching 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings against the Chicago Cubs on July 10 in the last game before the All-Star break. Vogelsong hasn’t pitched in the majors since being hit in the head with a pitch May 23.
Castro homered in the second off Vance Worley (2-1) and hit a two-run double in the sixth against Odrisamer Despaigne. David Freese brought the Pirates within a run with an RBI double in the fifth before the Brewers took control.
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“I’m more focused on throwing strikes right now, not thinking about the hitters and whether they can put the ball in play or not”, Liriano said after the Nationals loss, in which he walked at least three for the ninth time in 10 starts.
