Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Adam Frazier 2B, Cutch CF, J-Bell 1B, Josh Harrison 3B, John Jaso RF, Elias Diaz C, Jordy Mercer SS, Jameson Taillon P. With two lefties slated after tonight, this is the best opp to get Fraze and JJ some swings.
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| Jamo looking to kick it up a gear (photo Pittsburgh Pirates) |
Pitchers: Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.64 ) takes on Brock Stewart (0-0, 1.64). The 25-year-old Jamo will be making his 19th start and has been a yo-yo since the All-Star break. He's 2-3/8.13 in the seven starts since the ASG, with three JT-type outings and four that weren't so hot, including a couple of real clunkers, after going 5-2/2.73 in 11 starts prior to the break. It's been a tough year physically for Jameson, but finding some consistency will bode well for next season. Maybe it's just the MLB grind, tho he's at just 111 IP after tossing 166 frames last year, so his workload is about where it should be (tho cancer treatment isn't exactly the recommended plan to limit innings). He faced LA once and that was last year. JT allowed four runs on eight hits in four-plus innings with a no decision in an 8-6 win at PNC Park. He did toss lightly during last night's marathon, but said his arm is fine to go tonight. Brock Stewart was recalled from Oklahoma City to take the place of Yu Darvish, who is on the 10-day DL with back stiffness. Stewart has a 2.03 ERA in AAA ball, but is expected to work just this one start before returning to OC as Darvish should be ready for his next start on Sunday. Stewart has appeared nine times for the Dodgers this year (two starts) and neither outing has lasted beyond four innings. He worked three innings against Pittsburgh last year, giving up a run on two hits in a relief role. As a sidebar, he'll be the only righty that the Trolley Dodgers will throw against Pittsburgh.
Notes:
- The Pirates DL'ed a pair of relievers today: Joaquin Benoit has left knee inflammation and George Kontos is out with a right groin sprain, retro to Sunday. Dovydas Neverauskas was sent back to Indy, but it wasn't performance related. Juan Nicasio and AJ Schugel are down while Felipe Rivero's status is TBD (and it's getting a little worrisome now; seems like more than dead arm.) Steven Brault, Johnny Barbato and Edgar Santana got the call to Pittsburgh.
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| He's back...(photo Pittsburgh Pirates) |
- Josh Harrison has homered three times in his last five games and has banged out a career-high 15 balls this season. He fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle Monday night and is batting .333 (14-for-42) with seven RBI in his last 10 games.
- In his last 12 games, Josh Bell has gone 14-for-35 (.400) with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 RBI. Among NL rookies this season, Bell ranks first in hits (110), triples (6), walks (52) and games played (123) while ranking second in home runs (21), RBI (73), doubles (22), extra-base hits (49) and total bases (207).
- Fraze has hit safely in seven straight games, going 10-for-26 (.385). He has a 2B, 3B and homer w/six RBI and three runs scored during the streak and has whiffed just four times in 29 plate appearances.
- The Pirates have gone long in five straight games, swatting a total of 11 dingers in that span. On the other side of the pillow, Pittsburgh pitchers have surrendered 15 home runs in the last six games and have served up at least one in eight straight games. The offense has been in gear lately; they've scored five or more runs in six straight games, although they're just 2-4 during that time.
- Cutch made his 1,293rd career appearance in the outfield, tying him with Willie Stargell for seventh place on the club’s all-time list for most games played in the pasture (didn't remember Pops broke in as a left fielder until he sprouted into first base, did ya?) Since making his debut with the Pirates in 2009, Andrew leads all NL outfielders in games played and ranks second to Nick Markakis (1,304 games) among all players in the majors.
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