Getaway Finale for Pittsburgh-Cleveland, Jamo v Bauer, Lineup & Notes

Today: The getaway game starts at 1:10 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. This afternoon the Bucs will look to broom the Indians in Cleveland for the first time (this is Pittsburgh’s sixth series in Cleveland during the interleague era).

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (7-7, 3.80) finishes the set v RHP Trevor Bauer (8-6, 2.44). Jamo has  a slash of 5-3/3.15 over his last 10 games, giving up three earned runs or less during that span and in 17 of his 20 starts overall while pitching into the sixth inning nine times in his last 12 outings. JT has also been a road warrior lately, going 4-0/2.32 in his last five away starts. He's never faced the Indians. Bauer has been hot since early June, giving up more than two runs just twice in has last nine starts and getting into the seventh inning eight times. He hasn't tossed against Pittsburgh since 2015 when he won 5-2.

Jamo looks to keep the good times rollin' (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Jordan Luplow LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Colin Moran 3B, J-Bell 1B, David Freese DH, S-Rod 2B,Jordy SS & Jacob Stallings C (Taillon P). Sunday lineup on Wednesday; not sure how you justify having Morin & Freese in the same lineup with Moran in the field. Hopefully Corey D's day off is just precautionary; the docs won't commit to more than "day-to-day."

Notes:

• The Pirates last won twelve games in a row in 1965. A victory would also tie them with the Astros for the longest winning streak this season.
• More Marte Partay stuff: Starling has chased home 20 RBI this month, his most over a single month. That’s the most RBI by any player in the NL and tied for the most in the majors during July, along with Xander Bogaerts, Brian Dozier and Jose Ramirez.
• The Three Amigos: Pittsburgh’s outfielders rank first among NL teams in OPS (.846), slugging (.507) and batting average (.284) and are tied for first in home runs (55) with the Dodgers. Pittsburgh has hit 31 homers this month, tied with the Yankees for most in the majors, and their starting outfielders have combined for 20 of them.
• Injury report: Chad Kuhl still isn't throwing; Cervy has been symptom-free for a spell and will be examined with an eye to clearing him for action in Pittsburgh; Jung-Ho Kang is in the cage but not ready for game action yet, and Corey D showed "slight improvement" re: his hammy. Daniel Nava, for those with a good memory, is officially out for the season with a balky back.
• The Ohio trip ends today. Tomorrow the Bucs will open a four-game series with the Mets as part of a nine-game homestand along w/the Cubs (2) and Cards (3). That's followed by a trek west against the Rox, Giants and Twins.
• Scratch RHP Nathan Eovaldi from the Pirates wish list; the Rays traded him to Boston.