Jay v Tom Koehler; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - JA Happ (5-7. 4.42) opens against Tom Koehler (8-11, 4.02) in Miami. The Pirates swept a three-game series in Pittsburgh in May, giving them five straight wins in the series and 10 of the last 12. Miami has little home field advantage with a record of 4-10 in their last 14 home games.

In three starts for the Buccos, Jay has gone 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and is hoping to keep the good times rolling against the Fish. He hurled six scoreless Wednesday v Arizona to win his first game as a Pirates. Jay has surrendered just one run in his last two starts after being roughed up his Pirate debut. he hasn't faced Miami since 2012, and is 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in nine career games (six starts) against them.

Jay gets the call (photo Archie Carpenter/United Press Int.)

Koehler is 0-5 with a 7.58 ERA over his past five starts and was roughed up by the Brewers in his last outing, a trend the Bucs hope to continue. Pittsburgh beat him 7-3 in 2014, and he's 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA lifetime against the Pirates. The game starts at 7:10 and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

This is the start of a quick four-game set with the Fish; the Bucs come home to face the Rox afterward. Then it's a 16 game stretch against the Central Division, a West Coast trip and back to close out the regular season against the Cubs and Cards. Yep, that's all that's left of the campaign.

Today's Lineup - Gregory Polanco RF, Starling Marte LF, Cutch CF, Jung-Ho Kang 3B, Neil Walker 2B, Fran Cervelli C, Pedro Alvarez 1B, Jordy Mercer SS, Happ P.

Interesting line up, with Jordy making his first start and Pedro hitting out of the seven hole. Still, pretty deep, especially if Jordy can get up to June's speed.

• With a win tonight, Pittsburgh (74-48) will be 27 games over .500 for the first time since 1992.
• Arquimedes Caminero has been unscored on in 12 consecutive outings covering 16 IP.
• Recently acquired 1B Michael Morse started the season as a Miami Marlin until his July trade to the Dodgers and quick flip to the Pirates..
• Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has a notes column today; one piece of local interest is on how the Bucs handled Jung-Ho Kang's transition to American hardball. 
• And Christina Kahrl of ESPN has an article about the ways the Buccos go about beating you.