The Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up a six-game homestand with a three-game set starting tonight against the Atlanta Braves.
Something will give as the Pirates have lost their past two games but are 9-0 against NL East opponents at PNC Park this season.
Last night, the Pirates played for nearly five hours in a 5-4, 13-inning loss.
“We just had a lot of bad luck last night and it seems like a lot of the balls we hit might usually leave the ballpark for home runs and instead landed on the warning track,” catcher Chris Stewart said. “It was one of those games where we battled all the way through and unfortunately came up on the wrong side.”
“You learn from it and you get ready for today,” pitcher Jared Hughes added. “Today it’s a new game and you can’t worry about happened with the Reds, we’re playing the Braves. If you worried about the Reds, then you’re in trouble.”
In tonight’s game, the Pirates will throw out Francisco Liriano, while the Braves counter with Williams Perez.
Liriano is 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA in three career starts versus the Braves. He went 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts against the team last season. Liriano lost his last start allowing five runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings.
Perez is the only MLB pitcher with at least seven starts and no defeats. In his lone start against the Pirates, Perez walked a season high five batters and allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. In Perez’s last start he pitched six scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox.
Just his game: For the first time since blowing a save June 19, 2014, Jason Grilli returns to the Pirates.
Grilli was with the Pirates from 2011 until he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim shortly after the blown save in June of last year.
Grilli, who is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 20 saves this season fondly remembered his time with the Pirates while remaining focused on the task at hand.
“I love Pittsburgh, I bought a home here but I am wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform,” Grilli said. “I’m going to do anything I can for my team. It’s the same thing people saw here, but for the Braves now.”
It is clear that Grilli has a favorable impression of the Pirates fans and is hopeful to have the opportunity to pitch here this weekend.
“These people here are just phenomenal and I can’t say enough about them, said Grilli. “I remember just going on the DL a little bit and when I returned it was more than I expected. I’ve already had some good vibes and some interaction at the grocery store today so I can only imagine what it will be like tonight.”
Seventh inning stretch: The Pirates started off their Friday afternoon with a transaction, placing relief pitcher Rob Scahill on the disabled list with forearm tightness.
Scahill had pitched the 12th inning on Thursday night, giving up two hits including a game-winning home run to Brandon Phillips.
Replacing Scahill on the active roster will be right-handed relief pitcher Deolis Guerra. Guerra’s contract was purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he had a 1.23 ERA and a .791 WHIP in 25 appearances, spanning 36.2 innings.
Guerra, 26, came over the to the Pirates this off-season as a minor-league free agent from the Minnesota Twins organization. He is a native of San Felix, Venezuela.
To make room for Guerra on the 40-man roster, the Pirates transferred 1B/OF Andrew Lambo from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Lambo has been on the disabled list since May 6 with plantar fasciitis. The move to the 60-day disabled list will keep him on the shelf until at least July 5. Lambo has not returned to game action.
The Pirates still have an extra reliever and are playing short one bench player following first baseman Corey Hart’s trip to the disabled list and the call up of relief pitcher Chris Volstad earlier this week.
Scahill’s injury will put even more pressure on the already heavily worked back end of the Pirates’ bullpen. Tony Watson (37.1) and Mark Melancon (35.2) are in the top ten in innings pitched by National League relievers and Arquimedes Caminero (33.2) isn’t far behind.
New battery: Many Pirates fans know Chris Stewart as Gerrit Cole’s personal catcher, however, after Francisco Cervelli caught 13 innings into early this morning, the second-year Pirate will be expected to catch for Liriano tonight. Though Stewart has exclusively caught Cole of late, he maintains strong relationships with the rest of the starting pitching staff.
“I catch pretty much all of the guy’s bullpens that are thrown in between starts,” Stewart said. “I know what they’re working on and I know what they’re going through when they’re out there pitching so I know what’s been working for them. I feel like I am on a pretty good page with them. I have a good relationship and know what they need to do.”
Bottom of the ninth: Pirates manager Clint Hurdle tried something different this Spring Training as he asked both his players and coaching staff what they thought their expectations were. Hurdle called the experience incredible.
“That’s their lens and they’ve shared things with me that have been spot on,” said Hurdle. “There also were things that they spent energy on that were not of consequence to me. When they walk out they know what my expectations are and that helps with the environment and culture.”
Starling Marte has hit safely in eight of his past 10 games against the Braves. He has a .385 average in those games… Josh Harrison leads all National League players with 55 hits since May 14…The Braves have lost their first three games in this road trip. They are 16-23 on the road this season… Over the past seven games the Braves have averaged 1.86 runs per game… Braves pitching has 11 pickoffs by pitchers this season, the best mark in baseball.
Photo credit: AFP
PSN’s Alan Saunders also contributed to this report.
