The Pirates (77 – 55) look to get back into a tie for first as they face the Brewers (58 – 74) in the rubber match of the three game set. Gerrit Cole (6 – 6, 3.81 ERA) will oppose Yovani Gallardo (9 – 9, 4.61 ERA).
Leading off
John Buck will make his Pirates debut tonight as he will catch Cole and bat seventh.
Hurdle’s Quotes
On the amount of players that will be brought up post-Sept. 1st — “I think we’re going to have a progression in place that we’re going to have some guys added on Sunday, we’ll have some guys added on Tuesday, we’ll have some guys, probably, be incrementally added. Full total, when it’s all said and done, we could be looking at 34 – 35 guys total. We won’t take them all on at the same time because there’s still some guys working their way back.”
On Cole’s longer rest and how it plays for the rest of the season — “We’re trying to keep his innings at check and this is one of the ways we can do that. Rather than have three games in 14 days, he’s got two. You subtract 100 pitches and we’re trying to keep an eye on those things. I think that he’s going to be in a good place (tonight). I don’t think he’s going to be too strong based on the workload he’s experienced this year. I think it’s a pretty good rhythm for him right now, he can’t do it all the time and he’s been very good with the workouts that he’s incorporated to keep it in the proper place.”
On Starling Marte’s condition — “He took one-handed swings in the cage with his good hand — feeling better. Everything’s projected right now . He’s doing all of his cardio work, his running work. It’s getting the other hand on the bat and we’re hoping to do that maybe this weekend. Start with some dry swings and some swings and see where that takes us. Maybe, that goes well, sometimes towards the back-end of next week — get him out on a rehab.”
Other Notes
— Andrew McCutchen began the day ranked third in the league in batting average (.323), tied for first in multi-hit games (51), second in hits (157), third in total bases (247), fourth in on-base percentage (.400), tied for sixth in runs scored (81), tied for seventh in extra base hits (53) and eighth in slugging percentage (.508).
— Pedro Alvarez leads the N.L. with 32 home runs which is two behind Aramis Ramirez’s mark for the most by a third basemen. His career-high 86 RBI ranks fifth in the N.L. and is the most by a third basemen since Ramirez knocked in 112.
First pitch is set for 7:05
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(Photo Credit: Keith Srakocic/AP)
