March to Atlanta, Jamo v Sanchez, Lineup & Notes

Today: First pitch at SunTrust Park is slated for 7:35. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (10-9, 3.49 ERA) vs. Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 3.05). Jamo will be making his career-high 27th start of the season; he'll be another guy that the Bucs may want to conserve in September. He's made 16 straight starts allowing three earned runs or less and in 23 of his 26 starts overall and has pitched into the sixth inning 15 times in his last 18 outings with a 2.61 ERA. He's never faced the Braves.Sanchez left his last start with hammy issues, but it ended up a cramp, he took his bullpen and is ready to go. He's been solid this month, with 1-2/3.20 slash, 1.07 WHIP and 26 K in 25-1/3 innings over five starts. Lifetime, he's 3-5/3.82 against the Pirates.

Jamo opens at SunTrust (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Starling Marte CF, J-Bell 1B, Gregory Polanco RF, David Freese 3B, Corey Dickerson LF, Elias Diaz C, Josh Harrison 2B, Kevin Newman SS & Taillon P. We still don't like them playing J-Hay hurt; there's no point to it. Eli and Freeser haven't started in a week or so, so it's shake-the-rust time for them.

Notes:

• The Braves have lost 6-of-7 at home recently, but swept the Bucs at PNC Park, holding them to two runs in 1-0, 6-1, 2-1 wins. In their last visit here in May, 2017, the Pirates split a four-game series.
• The Buc relievers have been sharp at stranding inherited runners - Ric Rod has allowed just 3-of-24 to score, Kyle Crick 3-of-16 and Steven Brault has been best of all with an 0-for-14 result.
• Cutch is heading to the NY Yankees from the Giants for two prospects after clearing waivers. San Francisco is getting IF Abiatal Avelino and RHP Juan De Paula and is also sending cash to New York, where he'll be rejoining old matey Neil Walker.