Bucs In Brewtown, Big Joe v Miley, Lineup & Notes - S-Rod's Back

Today: First pitch at Miller Park is at 8:10 and the game will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (5-7, 3.31) gets the call against LHP Wade Miley (2-2, 2.18). J-Grove, like the whole staff, it seems, has been on cruise control lately. He's been charged with a total of eight earned runs in 34 IP in his five starts since the break (2-3/2.12; he was shut out twice), has pitched at least seven innings in five of his last six starts and in six of his last eight outings. Big Joe has been a road warrior, too, going 2-2/2.18 in five starts in enemy territory. He's faced the Brew Crew once, before the All-Star break, and was treated rudely, giving up five runs in 7-2/3 innings. Miley was FA signing by the Brewers, missed a bunch of time with an oblique, and doesn't get deep into games but is usually pretty effective for the five or six frames he's on the hill. He's cooled off a bit in August after a red hot stretch, going 0-1/3.38, still quite solid numbers. The pitch-to-contact-guy has faced the Bucs once this year, taking a July loss after going five innings and giving up two runs on four hits.

J-Grove opens the set (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Adam Frazier LF, Elias Diaz C, Gregory Polanco RF, David Freese 3B, Fran Cervelli 1B, Starling Marte CF, Adeiny Hechavarria SS, Kevin Newman 2B & Musgrove P. Might make sense to flip Eli and Cervy, but hey... Clint's pretty imaginative with his lefty lineups.

Notes:

• S-Rod was activated to fill the spot left when Michael Feliz was optioned yesterday.
• Today starts the last long road trip of the season, with the Bucs taking a nine-game, 10-day trip to Milwaukee, St. Louis and Atlanta.
• Don't adjust your TV; Players' Weekend starts tonight.
• John Sickels of Minor League Ball takes a look at how the Pirates pre-season Top Twenty prospects have fared during the year.