The Pittsburgh Pirates won its series opener against the San Diego Padres in dramatic fashion as Pedro Alvarez hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to take the game by a 2-1 margin.
Though manager Clint Hurdle tried to quiet a reporter when talks of a series win against the Padres came up it is hard to ignore that the past 14 series played at PNC Park have not gone in favor of the home team.
“We’re due,” Hurdle said. “It’s not the law of averages, it’s just that we’re due. We’re 31-13 on the wrong side against those guys at this ballpark and I don’t have an answer. There’s guys out there that have no clue, there’s guys that have been here when they beat us that have no clue, there are guys are over there that have no clue.”
In tonight’s game, Francisco Liriano will pitch for the Pirates against Tyson Ross.
Liriano is 1-2 with a 1.97 ERA in five career starts against the Padres. He struck out 11 batters in six scoreless innings in a May 29 start at Petco Park this season. In his last season, Liriano picked up a win against the Detroit Tigers pitching seven scoreless innings allowing five hits. Liriano’s 113 strikeouts entering play tie him with Gerrit Cole for a team high. He also has a 9.9 strikeouts-per-nine rate. Additionally his .190 opponent batting average against in second best in the National League.
Ross enters play coming off a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals in which he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings. Ross has a 1-2 career record against the Pirates with a 3.55 ERA. Ross lost in his earlier start this season to the Pirates. He allowed three runs [two earned] in six innings. Ross uses his slider heavily and thus far has thrown it 806 times this season which is the most in all of baseball. He at times can struggle with his control as evidenced by his seven wild pitches which tie for the NL lead and 53 walks which lead the senior circuit. When Ross does have control over his pitches he has a high strikeout rate. Ross averages 9.8 strikeouts-per-nine and 111 strikeouts on the season.
Pirates starting pitchers have earns victories in each of the past four team wins.
Seventh inning stretch: With Josh Harrison’s injury and Gregory Polanco struggling with sliding, this was a central topic in Hurdle’s pregame press conference today.
“The only time we talk about it is when a guy gets hurt,” said Hurdle. “We work on it in Spring Training and these guys will slide during the day at times. Any time you take grown men that are of the physical stature and strength they are, there might be some risk involved. We don’t encourage or bandwagon headfirst sliding but it’s a play that guy’s DNA is their DNA. They understand the risk and reward.”
Currently, the Pirates are in the middle of their evaluation process, something which occurs after each 40 game stretch during the regular season. Tonight marks the 83rd game of the season for the Pirates.
“We bring every coach in and we assess last 40 and the forward 40,” Hurdle said. “We assess what we did well, what we improve on. I started the process today and it will finish at the end of the week. We’ve had a pretty good last 40 games much better than the first 40. We weren’t in a good place in the first 40. We’ve sharpened some things up but we have areas we still need to improve on.”
Bottom of the ninth:
Jordy Mercer is a 5-for -8 [.625] hitter against Ross… The Pirates are a season-high 14 games over .500 and are 9-2 against the NL West this season… The Pirates have turned a double play 96 times which is the best mark in baseball and have turned two in 11 of the past 12 games… When Pedro Alvarez bats in a run, the Pirates are 21-9 on the season… Starling Marte remains day-to-day after leaving Sunday’s game with discomfort in his left side. Hurdle revealed today that he was not available to pinch-hit last night…Mercer batted in the month of June. His previous high average in a month this season was .197 in April… Jared Hughes has inherited a team-high 21 runners this season and two of those have crossed home plate… The Pirates are 15-4 when Chris Stewart starts.
Francisco Cervelli has been scratched from tonight’s lineup. The original lineup remains the same through the first four hitters with Jordy Mercer now batting fifth, Sean Rodriguez batting seventh and Chris Stewart batting eighth. Unfortunately the lineup posted cannot be revised.
Photo courtesy: Justin K. Aller
