Bucs Visit Snakes, J-Grove v Corbin & Notes

Today: The Bucs open against Arizona at Chase Field with the first pitch at 9:40. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan.

Pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (2-1, 1.89) gets it started against LHP Patrick Corbin (6-2, 2.87). J-Grove was pushed back a day to allow Ivan Nova to slip back into the rotation. He returned to earth a little in his last outing; after three starts, the jury is still deliberating. J-Grove has one brief fling against the D-Backs, tossing 1-1/3 scoreless frames as an Astro last August in Arizona. The 28-year-old Corbin has been the real deal for Arizona. He given up two or fewer runs in nine of his 13 starts so far this season with 105 K in 81-1/3 IP with a 0.943 WHIP. Corbin has seen the Bucs a bit over the past two campaigns, and they've had luck against him. In 2016-17, he's gone 1-2 in three starts, giving up 14 runs (12 earned) in 17-2/3 IP with five long flies.

J-Grove climbs the hill (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Josh Harrison 2B, Austin Meadows RF, Starling Marte CF, David Freese 3B, Corey Dickerson LF, Elias Diaz C, Josh Bell 1B, Jordy SS & Musgrove P. Red Beard is sitting against a lefty, even though Freeser doesn't hit them very well (.215); guess it's Clint's way to get a vet with a better glove some PT. Gregory gets a seat too; his performance against southpaws is pretty well known. We're getting a little concerned about Cervy; the Bucs have a history of being iffy with banged up guys and playing short for a couple of days, and that indecision sometimes leads to lingering injuries that a trip to the DL may have prevented.

Notes:

• Corey D has a nine-game hitting streak going into tonight.
• Newly recalled backstop Jake Stallings has a .379 BA, three doubles and five RBI in 10 career MLB games (29 at bats).
• The Bucs might want to work around Goldy this series. Paul Goldschmidt is the first player with multiple extra base hits and multiple RBI in four straight games since 1968 when Frank Howard of the Washington Senators did it, per ESPN Stats and Info.
• Arizona is 34-29 and up in the West by 2-1/2 games; they've rallied to win 7-of-10. But the Pirates have played pretty well here. They went 2-2 in Arizona last year, 7-3 at Chase Field over the last three seasons and are 13-6 in their last 19 games played here.
• In the first All-Star voting release, Cervy is fourth and Corey D 12th with no J-Hay or Starling sightings on the leaderboard.
• The Bucs are switching Altoona OF'er Elvis Escobar to the mound. The lefty was a pitcher as a teen and hits 94 on the gun, with the story from Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror. 
• Deon Stafford made the MLB Pipeline Team of the Week. The 22-year-old, drafted in 2017 as a bat-first catcher, is slashing .293/.346/.473 with five homers and 24 RBI at Class A West Virginia.
• The trade deadline is a few weeks away, but the spadework is beginning - @ChrisCotillo reports that the Pirates have guys sniffing around in Baltimore.