Locke v Despaigne; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - Jeff Locke (3-2, 4.70) closes the series against Odrisamer Despaigne (2-3, 5.23). Jeff was Locke-Down last outing against the Mets; let's see if he's ready to get on a roll. He's only faced the Padres once, losing a 5-2 decision to Eric Stults in September, 2013. Despaigne, a Cuban defector, had a nice start in 2014 as part of the rotation, but had been relegated to the pen after a tough start this season until Brandon Morrow's injury. But Petco Park suits him well; he has a 2.91 ERA tossing at home. Odrisamer banks on deception, delivering a variety of pitches, none considered above average stuff-wise, from different angles and pitching to contact.This will be his first outing against Pittsburgh. The game starts at 9:10 and will be carried by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

If the Pirates have an everyday lineup, this is it.

• Another little statistical tidbit uncovered by Elias Sports Bureau: Before Tony Watson did it last night, the last Pirate pitcher to strike out three consecutive pinch hitters was Goose Gossage vs. Padres on 6/22/77.
• The Buccos have won eight of their last nine games and have gone 9-3 in their last 12. During Clint Hurdle’s tenure with Pittsburgh, the Pirates have not had a losing record in May, June or July as the team has combined to post a 202-147 record and a .579 winning percentage over those three months.
• Why a night game? Because Petco Park is the finish for a local marathon race, and will host a concert afterward. Then come the Bucs and Padres. Hope it's not a jam band!
• BTW, Brock Holt is still keepin' on at Boston. The super-utility guy has started 29 games and has a slash of .286/.370/.410.