Gomez v Porcello

Jeanmar Gomez (2-0, 2.75) takes on Rick Porcello (2-2, 6.28) tonight. Gomez has done a good job of keeping the score down during his outings, though he doesn't get very deep into games. He's only made it five full innings twice in five starts, so the bullpen better stay loose and by the phone. Jeanmar has started five games against Detroit as a Cleveland Indian with a (yikes!) 2-2/7.82 line

Porcello was off to a slow start, and has been erratic, shutting down Texas two starts ago and getting bombed by the Twins in his last trip to the hill. The righty is becoming more of a K pitcher, replacing his slider with a curve to go with his changeup as off speed pitches this season. He's faced the Bucs twice and is 2-0/0.60, giving up just seven hits in fifteen frames. The game starts at 7:08 and will be aired on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Neil Walker 2B, Andrew McCutchen CF, Garrett Jones DH, Russell Martin C, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Gaby Sanchez 1B, Travis Snider RF and Clint Barmes SS.

Marte is back, which is good news, and Snider slid down to the eight spot with his return, making for a pretty strong lineup. Barmes gets the start at SS.

Tiger lineup: Andy Dirks LF, Torii Hunter RF, Miguel Cabrera 3B, Prince Fielder 1B, Victor Martinez DH, Jhonny Peralta SS, Alex Avila C, Omar Infante 2B and Don Kelly CF.

A couple of changes against RHP.

The lineup for Detroit was pretty impressive yesterday, with a lot of professional at-bats. The Tigers by and large didn't chase, worked counts, went the other way as the Buc pitchers stayed on the outside half and put the ball in play, striking out just six times. So it might behoove Gomez to throw strikes and use both sides of the plate today if he wants to hang around for awhile.

• Pittsburgh has at least one extra-base hit in 46 consecutive games, the longest current streak in baseball. The Tigers have the second-longest streak, clocking in at 43 straight games.
• Detroit has won six of seven; Pittsburgh ten of its last thirteen games. Yesterday's loss gave the Bucs a record of 6-11 in the first game of a series.
• The Pirates and Tigers have been homers in their recent history. The host team has won each of the last five series between these two clubs. Pittsburgh’s last series win in Detroit came in 2002, and the Tigers haven’t won a series in Pittsburgh since 2006. 
• West Virginia's Stetson Allie was named the South Atlantic League player of the week for the second time after hitting .542 (13-for-24) with three doubles, a triple, and three homers.