Good afternoon from PNC Park where today the Pirates (30-34) look to bounce back from last night’s 7-3 loss to the Cubs (26-36) in the third game of a four-game set. Brandon Cumpton (1-2, 6.51 ERA) will take the hill for the Bucs against Jason Hammel (6-3, 2.53 ERA).
DL Update
Francisco Liriano has been placed on the 15-Day DL with a left oblique strain. Stolmy Pimentel has been activated from the DL to take his place on the roster.
Hurdle on Cole’s status: “He threw out to 90 ft [yesterday] and today, it’s stretching out and longtoss and he’s anticipating getting on the mound Friday for a bullpen session.”
Hurdle’s Quotes
On being selected to the 2014 NL All Star Game Staff: “I’m very excited about going. It’s a humbling opportunity. When Mike [Matheny] reached out to me, we’ve developed a professional respect over the two seasons. We knew each other just a little bit before that and we’ve developed a personal relationship, as well. To get to go and represent and to help, having some experience, see if we can help somewhere along the line to make a difference. I’m really excited about going. You never know when you get to go to your last one. I’d like to manage one more.”
On Tony Watson being an All Star candidate: “Should he be talked about? Absolutely. The volume of work this young man has covered since he’s been here. Nobody knows better than the managers in the innings he’s pitched against. He has gone through leverage lineups, middle of lineups time and time again and it’s been East coast, West coast, NL Central, NL East. Everyone has gotten glimpses, so his name, you would hope, we could find a way to get his name involved in that process and I would believe Melancon’s body of work would be there as well. Tony’s really jumped forward this year. One of the premier left-handed relievers in the bullpen in the game.”
Other Notes
— Tony Watson has gone 19 straight games without allowing a run, beginning on 4/24. His 19 2/3 IN scoreless streak is the second-longest current streak among National League pitchers behind San Francisco’s Jean Machi (22 IP). In addition, Watson has not surrendered a hit in his last seven appearances (6 2/3 IP).
— Andrew McCutchen now ranks 16th on the Pirates all-time home run list with 112. Bobby Bonilla is 15th with 114 while Dick Stuart and Andy Van Slyke are tied for 13th with 117.
Tonight’s Pirates Lineup
First pitch is set for 7:05.
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
