Lineup, News, Notes - Walker Out Of Lineup Again

RHP Kevin Correia (10-9, 4.29) will try to earn a split tonight against the Cubs LHP Travis Wood (6-11, 4.23). KC has given the Bucs a pretty solid five or six innings throughout the year and has won eight of his last 11 decisions. Wood, coming down the stretch run of his rookie campaign, tossed four-hit ball against the Astros in his last outing and has given up just one earned run in his last 13-2/3 innings. The game begins at 8:05 and will be aired by Root Sports.

The lineup: Starling Marte LF, Jose Tabata RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Gaby Sanchez 1B, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Michael McKenry C, Clint Barmes SS, Brock Holt 2B, Kevin Correia P.

JT and Gaby are in against the lefty; Travis Snider and GI are on the pine. Brock Holt is in the lineup, too, so it might be that The Kid's back hasn't respond very well, which is bad news if true.

Going into today's games, the Dodgers were a game behind the Cardinals, followed by the Brewers (2-1/2 back), the Pirates (three), the Phillies (four) and the D-backs (4-1/2) in the chase for the second wildcard spot. Atlanta has a seven game lead on the Cards for the #1 wildcard draw.

• Pedro Alvarez leads all NL third basemen this year with 29 home runs. Only two Pirates in history have hit 30 HR in a season as third basemen. They are Aramis Ramirez, with 34 in 2001, and Frank Thomas, with 31 in 1958.
• Cutch has reached base safely in nine of his last 11 PAs during the Cub series.
• The Bucs are looking at adding an arm from the Bosox, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
• Big home series against the Brew Crew starting Tuesday. It's the start of a 10-day, 10-game trip to Pittsburgh, Washington and Cincinnati by Milwaukee.
• Evan Meek wasn't claimed and the Bucs outrighted him to Indy. It looks like the team and Meek will part ways this off-season, one way or another.
• State College, the Bucs short-season A team, has signed with the Cardinals. The Pirates are looking at Jamestown or Batavia as a replacement club, then moving them to Morgantown according to Rob Beirtempfel of the Tribune Review.
• This day in history: In 1977, SS Frank Taveras tied and then broke Max Carey’s 1916 single season team record for stolen bases when he swiped his 63rd and 64th bags of the year in a 6-3 Bucco victory over the Expos in Montreal.