Getaway Day In the Gateway, Jamo v Poncedeleon, Lineup & Notes - the Kids Are All Playing Today

Today: It's a 1:15 matinee to close out the St. Louis trip with the games aired by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. This afternoon the Bucs and Cards play each other for the final time in 2018, with SL holding an 11-7 edge in games won.

Pitchers: RHP Jameson Taillon (12-9, 3.40 ERA) finishes the set against RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (0-1, 2.67 ERA). Jamo is another of the Bucco young guns who will amass a career high in starts and innings this year. He's been solid & steady as she goes, holding opponents to three or fewer runs in 25 of his 28 starts and is 12-1 when the Buccos give him at least three runs to work with. He's 1-1 this seasons against the Birds, having shut them out over eight innings in June after giving up three runs in six innings against them in May. Poncedeleon made his first start in late July, lasted a month, was sent down again (likely to keep on schedule), and recalled in September. This will be his fourth MLB start and two have been pretty good, although he's only gotten past four innings once. The 26-year-old uses a four seamer, sinker, slider and change, and his command is inconsistent; sometimes his pitch count can pile up in a hurry. This will be his first dance with the Pirates.

Jamo looks to salvage a game in St. Louis (photo Pgh Pirates)

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Starling Marte CF, Josh Bell 1B, Jordan Luplow RF, Kevin Kramer 3B, Pablo Reyes LF, Kevin Newman SS, Jacob Stallings C & Taillon P. Full scale youth movement today.

Notes:

• Showing some muscle: J-Bell has an extra-base hit in four straight games.
• Trivial Pursuit: The Pirates have a starting lineup composed completely of Altoona Curve alumni for the first time ever.
• Tomorrow's an off day, and then the trip concludes with three games against the Brewers at Miller Park beginning Friday night. Pittsburgh’s 9-4 record against the Crew is its best v. any team in MLB this year.