Weekend Notes:

The first stop of the last road trip of 2021...

Notes:

• Bryse Wilson has posted a line of 2-0-1/1.93 v Miami in three outings (14 IP, three runs). He got his first Pirates win against the Marlins on Saturday, his only big league save against them as a Brave in 2020, and two of his six career victories are over the Fish. Ironically, the only other team he's beaten twice is the Buccos.

Max Kranick - 2021 photo/Altoona Curve

• Max Kranick, who was with the team on the taxi squad for the road trip, was activated to start Sunday. Nice call; he struck out six straight Marlins Sunday, the first time a Bucco pitcher (Frankie Liriano) has done that since 2013. He also walked four, and two of them scored as he gave up three runs in five frames. Bryse Wilson was placed on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain; he was pulled from Saturday's game after five innings because of a hammy cramp.
• Pittsburgh has taken eight of their last 12 games, winning their last four series. They lost the last game of all four sets to run their sweepless streak this year to 15 series. 
• Wilmer Difo has a MLB-leading 15 pinch-hits this season, the most by a Bucs' player in a season since Delwyn Young had 16 in 2010.
• The road warriors final stops: Next up are three games in Cincinnati beginning Monday night and  four in Philadelphia starting Thursday. They finish with a six-game homestand with three contests v the Cubs and three v the Reds; the Cincinnati set is Fan Appreciation Weekend with free tees on Friday, a free blanket on Saturday and Prize Day on Sunday. Fare tredici!
• Altoona prospects 1B Mason Martin, 2B Rodolfo Castro, SS Oneil Cruz, OFs Cal Mitchell & Canaan Smith-Njigba and P's Osvaldo Bido, Roansy Contreras and Yerry De Los Santos were reportedly moved up to Indy, which has 10 games left to the season. Corresponding roster moves by Indianapolis haven't been announced yet.