Frankie v Jon Gray; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - Francisco Liriano (9-6, 3.23) opens the Rox set against Jon Gray (0-0, 5.94). Frankie is 8-2/2.79 in his last 16 starts, and has been generally steady rather than spectacular this year. He's won each of his last five decisions and the Pirates have won the last 10 games that he's taken the hill for (btw, the record is 14 straight, held by Dock Ellis), so consistency does pay off. The lefty is 1-2/5.48  in four career starts against the Rox, but hasn't seen them since 2013.

Gray, from Oklahoma, is the Rox top pitching prospect (he was picked third overall in the 2013 draft) and joined the rotation early this month, albeit on a 75-pitch limit. He features an upper 90s fastball, a nasty but inconsistent power slider, and an in-progress changeup. Gray has been up-and-down, with two beauties and two busts authored so far in his career. Oddly, he hasn't gotten a decision yet, although Colorado has dropped all four games, good and bad, that he's started.

The Pirates have won five straight games and six of their last seven against the Rockies at PNC Park. The Rox are having a tough year, but they did just take a series from Atlanta at Turner Field so they haven't mailed it in (although they have lost 12-of-16, so since they've lost Tulo, ouch). The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

The everyday lineup, with JHK at third and Jordy at SS.

• Elias Says: The last time the Pirates (77-49) were 28 games above .500 before September was in 1972. That team won 96 games, the most in the majors that season. 
• Pedro Alvarez hit the 125th long ball of his Pirates career last night. He now ranks 14th on Pittsburgh’s all-time home run list, three behind Richie Hebner (128). Since the beginning of 2012, Alvarez’ 105 home runs are the second-most among all NL players, trailing only Giancarlo Stanton's 125.
• Neil Weinberg of Fangraphs likes both Fran Cervelli and the way the FO was ahead of the curve when they dealt for him. 
• Pittsburgh is on track to do something it never has before - go through a season w/o a complete game. 
• Clint Hurdle now ranks seventh in all-time Pirates manager history with 410 wins, passing Hall-of-Famer Bill McKechnie, who led the club to 409 victories.
• Baseball America's "Prospect Hot Sheet" has Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell high on their list. 
• 2B Max Moroff of Altoona was named to the Eastern League All-Star team.