Notes

 Jeff Karstens takes the hill against Josh Collmenter tonight at 7:05.  The game will be televised by Root Sports.

The lineup is Jose Tabata LF, Xavier Paul RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Neil Walker 2B, Lyle Overbay 1B, Ronny Cedeno SS, Josh Harrison 3B, Dusty Brown C, Jeff Karstens P.  It's the usual lineup; Garrett Jones is still in the doghouse and Brandon Wood will come off the bench.

• Chris Snyder (back) joined Ryan Doumit (ankle) on the 15-day DL, while Jason Jaramillo (elbow) is on the minor-league DL. C Wyatt Toregas is on his way to Pittsburgh from Indy.  It's not likely to be a long stay, though - the Bucs are said to have interest in Jake Fox, a back-up catcher recently DFA'ed by Baltimore.  His claim won't be finalized until Friday, so the Bucs need to have a reserve on hand for the next couple of days even if they do land Fox.
• The Pirates have won four of their last five games and eight of their last twelve.
• Ronny Cedeno broke Jack Wilson's record for most consecutive games started at short without an error yesterday at 43.  He actually has 44 straight contests without a miscue, but one of the starts was at second base.
• Neil Walker's 40 RBI are the most among MLB second basemen, just ahead of the New York Yankees' Robinson Cano
• The Dodgers game that was rained out on May 12th has been rescheduled for Thursday, Sept. 1st at 4:05 PM.  That's an off day between visits to Houston and Chicago, so Pittsburgh has to fly in from Texas, play the game, and then fly back out to Chicago. 
• C Kris Watts was promoted from Altoona to Indy to replace Toregas, not Tony Sanchez. 
• Corey Giger of the Altoona Mirror tweeted that "Pirates RH pitching prospect Kyle McPherson is now with Altoona Curve & will start Friday. He was 4-1, 2.89 ERA at Single-A Bradenton." 
• Jim Callis of Baseball America on Josh Bell: "...he's virtually unsignable. I love the pick, though. Bell is the best high school hitter in the draft.  If you sign him, that's a coup. If you don't, you get the 62nd pick in 2012. I'd take that gamble every time."
• Locals drafted on day three: Pine-Richland shortstop Zach LaNeve (a North Carolina recruit) to the Florida Marlins, Seneca Valley second baseman/outfielder Jack Graham to the Chicago White Sox, and ex-Seneca Valley player Tyler Bream, a third baseman at Liberty University and the son of Sid Bream, was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
• Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects has player pages for all fifty of the Buc draftees. 
• Pitt had four more players drafted, bringing their total to six Panthers selected, tying the high set in 1996.  One area kid that went pro without being drafted is the Blue and Gold's LHP Cole Taylor of Burrell, who inked a deal with Traverse City of the indy Frontier League.