Derek v Josh Lindblom, Lineup & Notes

Game: The contest begins at 4:05 at PNC Park. It will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. 

Lineup: Erik Gonzalez SS, Adam Frazier 2B, Josh Bell 1B, Colin Moran DH, Bryan Renolds LF, Gregory Polanco RF, JT Riddle 3B, Tucker Cole CF, Jake Stallings C and Derek Holland P. Kevin Newman gets a blow.

Kevin gets a day off - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Pitchers: LHP Derek Holland (0-1, 8.27) goes against old Bucco RHP Josh Lindblom (1-0, 6.62). Holland's line is deceiving: He's has had one bad outing; he bit the bullet for the team in his last start on August 8th and absorbed a beating (with a little Shelty overkill thrown in) to save the pen at the cost of his ERA. He missed a start but did throw a couple of innings in relief; we're unsure whether that outing was to work out something mechanical/physical or just to give him a blow after a tough day at the ranch. Dutch Oven has been good against Milwaukee; he's seen them a dozen times (mostly as a reliever) and is 1-0/2.05 against them. Josh's return to MLB has been bumpy, with a couple of homers per game surrendered and an elevated BB/K rate, as he gets used to American baseball in its current configuration. He pitched in late July against the Bucs, going 3-2/3 IP and giving up a pair of runs on three hits, three walks and five whiffs.

Notes:

• Kevin Newman's hitting streak ended yesterday, but he's still reached safely in 12-of-14 games. Tuck hasn't been crushing the ball, but he's 6-of-12 in his past five games (three starts). So maybe the Bucs are beginning to find a little overdue ball luck.
• Holland's last start was August 8th, with a couple of innings worked on the 18th. But he kept busy - earlier this week, he put up four cardboard cutouts of his bud, comedian Rob Schneider, in the PNC stands.
• No news on Keone Kela's sore wing other than it's a "day-to-day" injury.
• Last night, Chad Kuhl picked up his first win since June 15th, 2018, when he beat the Reds and Matt Harvey, 3-2, at PNC Park.
• Brock Holt, a Pirates rookie in 2012 who was sent to Boston during that offseason as part of the Mark Melancon deal, was DFA'ed by the Brew Crew.