Sunday, April 28, 2019

Willy v Rich Hill, Lineup & Notes As Bucs Try To Salvage A Win

Game: The series closer will be at 4:10 EDT and will be aired by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan as the Bucs look to salvage a game.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Melky Cabrera LF, Gregory Polanco RF, Josh Bell 1B, Jung Ho Kang 3B, Elias Diaz C, Cole Tucker SS, Pablo Reyes CF, Trevor Williams. We're not sure why Clint is sitting Bryan Reynolds for Pablo; we'll see if it works.

Pablo gets the start in CF (image MLB Network)

Pitchers: RHP Trevor Williams (1-1/2.59) closes the set v LHP Rich Hill (0-0/0.00). Willy just keeps cranking out quality starts; he's 5-for-5 so far this year. The Dodgers spanked him for four runs in three innings last year in a brutal start; his other two career outings have been better, giving up three runs in 11 IP. Hill is making his season debut, returning from from a left knee injury. He was on the mound once last year v the Corsairs and lasted five innings, long enough to claim a 6-4 win. The last time Willy and Hill took the bump against each other was in 2017 at PNC Park. Hill took a perfect game into the ninth inning and a no-hitter into the 10th, until J-Hay's solo shot gave the Pirates & Juan Nicasio a 1-0 victory.

Notes:
  • Pittsburgh has the fewest homers in the NL at 19; they're tied with the Tigers for the fewest in MLB. In the Central, Milwaukee has 53 long balls (they lead the NL), St. Louis 39 and the Cubs & Reds each have 36. This month, btw, was a record-setter for the most home runs hit in April in MLB history (and no, it doesn't include March dingers).
  • The Dodgers activated C Russ Martin (back) off the IL today.
  • Ol' matey RHP Charlie Morton has been pretty solid since recovering from a torn hamstring in 2016. The 35-year-old has been a little fragile but put together a 32-10/3.22 line since then w/Houston and now Tampa Bay, where he's slashing 3-0/2.76 in the early going, and has averaged 10.5/K per nine over those two+ seasons.

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