Jeff v Carlos Martinez; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - Jeff Locke (6-6, 4.31 ERA) starts the series against Carlos Martinez (11-4. 2.57). Jeff has posted a 3.16 ERA in his last 10 outings, but the 27-year-old New Hampshire native has yielded at least three runs in each of his last four turns and couldn't get through six full innings in his last three outings. Locke is 0-1/3.09 in two starts against the Redbirds this year; the loss was in July to Martinez by a 4-1 count. He's 2-3 with a 3.55 ERA in seven career starts against St. Louis.

Let's hope Jeff is Locke-Down tonight (photo USA Today)

Martinez pitched his way onto the All-Star team with his last performance against the Buccos. His command is sometimes a little off, and he's already set a career high for innings pitched, so the grind may be wearing at him as he's only lasted five frames in each of his last two starts. Martinez is 1-1/4.97 v the Pirates this year, being very good in his last match and very bad in his first contest. The game begins at 8:15 and will be on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

The Lineup - Grgeory Polanco RF, Starling Marte LF, Cutch CF, A-Ram 3B, Jung-Ho Kang SS, Neil Walker 2B, Pedro 1B, Fran Cervelli C, Locke P.

Big series, big boy lineup.

• Fran Cervelli is catching the Cole Train tomorrow.
• Both teams come into the series hot, having won 4-of-5 games (four in a row & 5-of-6 for the Bucs). But St. Louis has some home cookin' in their favor, having won 17 of the last 20 meetings at Busch Stadium (including playoffs), running the table in the first home series.
• Five of the 10 games played between the two clubs ended in walk-offs. 
• Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs finds a lot to like about Jung-Ho Kang.
• Josh & Jordy begin rehab at Indy tonight.
• The Morning Fan Show on 93.7 talked with Kyle Stark, Pirate player development boss, and he gave the current lowdown on Tyler Glasnow.
• Three lower-level Pirate farm hands were named players of the month. They are RHP Yeudy Garcia (WV Power - Sally League), OF Logan Hill (Morgantown Black Bears - NY/Penn League) and 1B Carlos Munoz (Bristol Pirates - Appy League). One more POTM you may recognize is 1B Matt "The Hit Man" Hague, playing for Toronto's AAA club, the Buffalo Bisons of the International League.