Friday: Jameson Taillion v Junior Guerra, Lineup, Preview, Notes

Tonight: The Bucs return home. The game and series starts at 7:05 and will be carried by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan. Free tee night is the gates calling card.

Pitchers: Jameson Taillon (3-3, 3.39) opens against Junior Guerra (7-3, 2.93). JT was optioned to Bristol in a paper move, and he's back now without missing a tick. In his first two showings against the Brew Crew, JT went 12 IP and gave up just three runs, but his last fling versus Milwaukee saw him chased after three frames, five runs and a pair of dingers, so he's looking for a bounce back game.  Guerra has been out since the start of August with Cole Train-itis, right elbow inflammation. In 14-2/3 IP versus the Pirates, Junior has given up just three runs on seven hits with 11 K, so he has the Bucs number so far this campaign.

Jamo opens the Brew Crew set (photo via Sports Illustrated)

Lineup: Josh Harrison 2B, Josh Bell 1B, Cutch CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Starling Marte LF, David Freese 3B, Fran Cervelli C, Jordy SS, Jamo P.

Preview: The Brewers broke a seven game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Cards on Wednesday; the Bucs were just broomed by the Cubs. Guess we'll find out who's better at licking their wounds during this set. Pittsburgh is 8-5 (4-2 at PNC Park) against the Brew Crew, and play them six times this month in home-and-home series. This would be a good time to shake the Milwaukee malaise once and for all.

• Jung Ho Kang is back in action; he began a rehab assignment at Indy yesterday and homered. Tyler Glasnow did the pitching honors. His line was 5-2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 4 BB & 8 K.
• The Mariners sent LHP Jake Brentz & RHP Pedro Vasquez to the Bucs as the PTBNL for Arquimedes Caminero. Brentz, 21, was Seattle's #26 rated prospect and averages a K per frame, but with some control issues. Vasquez, 20, has done nice work in Low A as a contact and control guy. Looks like a little restocking of the system.
• The Altoona Curve selected Barrett Barnes (.310/.378/.481) as its Player of the Year and Cody Dickson  (10-5, 3.67) as its Pitcher of the Year. 
• Seneca Valley and Pitt player C Kevan Smith made his MLB bow last night for the Chicago White Sox. He was a Pitt QB for a couple of years before switching full-time to baseball. Kevan had been called up earlier in the year but landed on the DL with back issues. He went 0-for-1 and caught an inning.
• Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors looks at Mark the Shark's upcoming free agency. In the same vein, Jeff Todd of MLBTR looks at 10 under-the-radar FA who raised their stock. S-Rod and Matt Joyce are in that group, along with ex-Buccos Steve Pearce and Joe Blanton.