Friday: Redbirds & Bucs, Williams v Carlos Martinez, Lineup (Brault Up, LeBlanc on DL), Notes

Today: First pitch is at 7:05 v the Cards. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan. It's fireworks night; hopefully the Bucs will join the Zambelli Brothers in providing some.

Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Josh Harrison 2B, Cutch CF, Josh Bell 1B, David Freese 3B, Adam Frazier RF, Elias Diaz C, Jordy Mercer SS, Trevor Williams P. Eli gets the call. Only two lefties in the lineup against a guy who's rough on same-side batters; JJ was the only other LH option with Max Moroff available as a switch-hitter.

Pitchers: Trevor Williams (5-5, 4.19) is again called on to be  stopper, taking on the Redbirds Carlos Martinez (9-9, 3.56) in a rematch from July. Trevo is coming off a bad day at the office in his last start against Toronto on Saturday. He has enjoyed home cooking with a 1-0/2.03 slash in his last five starts at PNC Park. Williams has held his own against the Cards; in his only outing against them this year, he got a no-decision against Martinez after going 5-2/3 IP and giving up a run in an eventual 4-3 Bucco win. Lifetime, he's 1-0/3.60 in four career appearances (one start, three 2016 outings from the pen). A quick start is the best way to dent Martinez; the opening frame has been his worst with a propensity to give up dingers, so hopefully the Bucs will come out swinging. He also sports a pretty wide L/R split, mainly as he's murder (.193 OBA) on RHB with lefties batting at a much more presentable .264 rate. His July battle with Trevo was his only 2017 outing v the Pirates; in his career, he's made 10 starts (19 appearances) with a line of 4-5/3.50 against the hometown nine.

Seems like the Bucs call on the back end to be stoppers a lot (photo Joe Guzy/Pirates)

Notes:

• Steven Brault up, Wade LeBlanc gone to the DL with a left quad strain. 
• Perhaps missed in yesterday's defeat was J-Hay's day at the dish. He tied his season highs with three hits and three runs scored, plus he smacked his 13th home run of the season, matching his career high from 2014, while chipping in a pair of RBI.
• AJ Schugel is due for some regression (92% LOB rate, his walks are up and K's down) but he's become Jared Hughes 2.0 with a 62% ground ball rate in his two years with the Pirates coupled with his use as a clean-up man in mid-inning jams.
• Max Moroff hit his first (and so far only) MLB homer off Martinez on July 16th at PNC Park.
• It's the dog days for Jordy. He's hitting .161 (9-for-56) in 15 games this month after hitting .297 in June and .250 in July.
• The Cards placed Adam Wainwright on the DL with an elbow impingement; he hasn't broken 90 in his last pair of starts.
• Ex-Bucco OF Robbie Grossman (he was one of the prospects traded for Wandy Rodriguez in 2012, along w/LHP Rudy Owens) fractured his thumb in an outfield mash-up and went on the DL. He's in his second year with the Twins after three seasons with the 'Stros.

Pud Galvin 1887 Goodwin Old Judge

• For our history buffs, per a SABR release - "On Saturday, September 23, 2017, we celebrate the life of Hall of Famer Pud Galvin. Guests will meet at Calvary Cemetery (718 Hazelwood Ave.) at 4:00 p.m. Galvin is the third grave marked by the SABR 19th Century Grave Baseball Marker Project. The dedication ceremony will feature a bio of Galvin, prepared by his biographer Chip Martin, as well as other baseball notables and members of the Galvin family." His flat stone marker will be replaced by a headstone at the memorial.