PIRATES

Bubba Chandler didn't have to blow pitches by guys and get outs via the strikeout to have success in the Pirates' 5-1 win over the Rays tonight here at PNC Park. 

Three tickets were punched in his six innings of one-run ball, but ground ball outs (seven) were more common, as Chandler pitched to contact and relied on his defenders to get the job done after a collective four-error effort on Thursday. 

"You get a little used to the big leagues. Every play must be made, whatever — it's still very hard, whether it's a routine play or a hard play to make," Chandler said. "These guys behind me are unbelievable. Anytime a ball is on the ground or in the air, when I turn around I see Oneil, KG, I know that play's going to get made. They're gonna hustle. We kind of take it for granted, how hard baseball is. There's four errors yesterday, who cares. That's going to happen. Every team's going to make mistakes, but I think we do a good job of limiting those."

Confidence played a key role in Chandler's success, too. He had faith in what Henry Davis called behind the plate, threw his pitches with conviction and induced plenty of weak contact. Aside from the sixth inning in which the Rays started to get to him a little bit, Chandler found ways to get ahead and maintain control. 

"You set yourself up for success when you're ahead in the count," he said. "Do a lot more things, throw a lot more pitches. That was the plan and we executed."