Pirates-St Louis Close It Out With a Rubber Match, Jamo v Mikolas & Notes

Today: The game's first pitch is at 1:35 and will be on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan. It's kids day outside and youngsters 14-and-under get a pair of camo socks.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Fran Cervelli C, Starling Marte CF, J-Bell 1B, Colin Moran 3B, Austin Meadows LF, Gregory Polanco RF, Jordy SS and Jameson Taillon P. Not bad for a Sunday lineup. Corey D gets the first sit-down in the new OF rotation and red-hot J-Hay joins him on the pine while the slumping Gregory remains in the seven-hole. (EDIT - Cervy has the flu bug; he was a late scratch, with Meadows moving into the two hole, Gregory slides into the sixth spot and Eli is catching and batting seventh.)

This would be a good day for Jamo to pick up the pace (photo Pgh Pirates)

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 4.56) finishes the festivities against RHP Miles Mikolas (6-0, 2.24). JT was working on a pretty good May until the Reds derailed him in his last start; he struck out a season-high eight batters, but gave up a granny and six runs in six IP. He hasn't won a game since April 8th and the Bucs need for him to kick into gear. Jamo is 1-1/4.50 v the Cards lifetime in five career starts with four of those outings last year, when he slashed 1-1/4.71. Mikolas has been all that this year. He's working on an 11-2/3 IP scoreless streak and has been durable, too, lasting six or more frames in 7-of-10 starts. He does it by being aggressive and filling up the strike zone - his 14 pitches/inning in the league's most efficient and he walks a guy once every 10 frames. Miles has faced the Bucs once this year, when in April he went seven innings giving up two runs on six hits with seven K in a no-decision.

Notes:

• Starling comes into the day with a 10-game hitting streak.
• Josh Harrison has gone 10-for-28 (.357) with two doubles, a triple and four RBI in six games since returning to the lineup.
• Mr. Clutch: Cervy leads the majors with 22 two-out RBI.
• Bucco outfielders have the the best OPS in the NL (.862), second overall to Boston (.909). Pirates outfielders also lead the NL in total bases (311), batting average (.290) and RBI (92).
• Secret to success: Edgar Santana has issued just four walks in 21 IP and held lefties to a .122 BA. He's made 12 straight scoreless outings.
• Hard times: Gregory Polanco has gone 3-for-31 in his last nine games.