Saturday: Bucs & Friars, Nova v Dinelson Lamet, Lineup, Notes

Tonight: The Pirates and Padres meet in the middle game at Petco Park with first pitch at 8:40. The contest will air on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan.

Cervy's been an iron man since returning from his concussion (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Josh Harrison 2B, Cutch CF, Josh Bell 1B, David Freese 3B, Adam Frazier RF, Fran Cervelli C, Jordy Mercer SS & Nova P. Clint sure is riding Freeser and Cervy hard lately. Amore has started 17 of the last 18 games while Freese has been in 22-of-24 matches (19 as a starter) in July. Both are hitting OK, so the workload doesn't seem to be wearing them down.

Pitchers: Ivan Nova (10-7, 3.62) vs. Dinelson Lamet (4-4, 5.92) The 30-year-old Nova will be making his 21st start of the season tonight. He ranks among the NL leaders in innings pitched (131-2/3) and the workload may be catching up. In his last 13 starts, he's tossed to a 4.43 ERA and his home run rate has jumped to 1.2/nine innings this year as he's given up seven long taters in his last four outings. His last start was a loss in Colorado Sunday in his worst performance of the year, giving up seven runs in five frames. Ivan has only seen the Padres twice, both times as a Yankee. Last year he received a no-decision in New York’s 2-1 loss, going 5-1/3 IP and surrendering a run. The 24-year-old Lamet has made a handful of sharp starts in his rookie campaign, but in his last three outings has given up 14 runs (12 earned) in his last 14-2/3 IP. His Achilles heel is the long ball as he surrenders nearly a pair per game. One thing he can do is strike guys out; he averages almost 12 K per nine innings, along with 3.5 walks, using a fastball/slider combo. It's his first outing against the Pirates.

Ivan hoping for a summer breeze to fill his sails again (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• While the position players have taken their lumps, the Pirates have used the fewest number of starting pitchers (six) in the MLB. In addition to the current five-man rotation, Tyler Glasnow made 12 starts and that's been the gang.The Bucs used a total of 14 different starting pitchers last season with the club record for fewest starting pitchers used in a season is seven (1902, 1972 and 1997).
• Cutch is one tater shy of hitting 20 or more in seven consecutive seasons. The only other Pittsburgh player to accomplish that feat was Hall-of-Famer Willie Stargell, who did it in 13 straight campaigns between 1964-76. Andrew’s 194 career homers rank fourth on the club’s all-time list behind Stargell (475), Ralph Kiner (301) and Roberto Clemente (240); he passed Barry Bonds (fifth with 176) earlier this season.
• Wonder why there's a 40-man roster? Jordan Luplow was the 40th different player to appear in at least one game for the Pirates this season.