The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a 10-game homestand and tonight will start a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies when the Pirates’ Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.05 ERA) takes on the Rockies’ Eddie Butler (2-1, 4.74 ERA).
The Rockies come to PNC Park on a two-game losing streak but are 6-4 in their last 10 contests. With a 20-20 record, the Rockies are tied for second place in the NL West, three games behind the San Francisco Giants.
The NL West has been a recipe of success throughout Cole’s career — he has a 12-3 record with a 2.73 ERA in 17 career starts against the division (he’s has won nine of his last 10 games against the NL West.) In his two career starts against the Rockies, he has a 1-1 record with a 3.97 ERA.
Colorado’s Butler has faced the Pirates just once, which came in an Apr. 27 relief appearance earlier this season. It was Butler’s first relief appearance. In his last start, against the New York Mets, Butler earned the ‘W,’ allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings.
Rockies batters are 9-for-47 (.191 average) vs. Cole; the Pirates have had just nine at-bats against Butler.
Mercer checks off some boxes
At this point last season, Jordy Mercer was coming back after missing six games. Now, through about a quarter of the season, Mercer is turning some heads.
“Jordy is developing that background in the majors,” said manager Clint Hurdle. “I think it has come with the experience of playing, the ownership of being the everyday shortstop and not having to fight for something.”
This season, Mercer is batting .297, though that average is .369 in night games, placing him third in the NL. He has hit safely in five consecutive games and is batting .333 in his last 28 games. The matchup with Colorado suits him well — he’s batting .409 in his last 12 games against the Rockies.
Mercer is known for being a plus defender at his position but, with some of the pressure off him, he’s been able to showcase his offense more.
Hurdle said Mercer is one of several players who have had to undergo a metamorphosis in their careers.
“There comes a time where players are survivors, contributors and winners,” Hurdle said. “You like to see your players progress through those roles. They will go through them, and there is a time where a player will be a survivor just trying to stay in the league. Then he learns how to play the game, help the team and realizes that it is not all about himself. From that point, he becomes the winner that makes everyone better. I think we see a number of our guys have gone through the three-step process.”
Boscan debut leads to story time
After three separate call ups last season, relief pitcher Wilfredo Boscan was called up Thursday to help a struggling bullpen. In Class AAA Indianapolis, Buscan had a 2.48 ERA with 31 strikeouts and four walks in 40 innings. Hurdle mentioned Boscan checks off a lot of the boxes a manager looks for in a successful pitcher.
And when talking about Boscan’s potential major league debut, Hurdle couldn’t help but remember his debut, which came in 1977 with the Kansas City Royals.
“I hit the ball out of the stadium, and it bounced into the parking lot,” Hurdle said. “I had to have a clubhouse man have a dogged attempt to retrieve a baseball and prove it was a baseball I hit. It’s a true story. I believe with all of my heart it’s the ball, and my mom and dad have it.”
Tonight’s lineup
Pirates (22-18)
- John Jaso 1B
- Andrew McCutchen CF
- Gregory Polanco RF
- Starling Marte LF
- Francisco Cervelli C
- David Freese 3B
- Josh Harrison 2B
- Jordy Mercer SS
- Gerrit Cole P
Rockies (20-20)
- Charlie Blackmon CF
- Trevor Story SS
- Nolan Arenado 3B
- Carlos Gonzalez RF
- Mark Reynolds 1B
- Gerardo Parra LF
- DJ LeMahieu 2B
- Dustin Garneau C
- Eddie Butler P
Bottom of the ninth
This season, baseball teams have proven they aren’t exempt from the adage, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
With John Jaso’s success batting leadoff in the first six weeks of this season, the league is seeing more unconventional hitters batting in the leadoff spot. In Minnesota that’s catcher Joe Mauer, and the Cleveland Indians haven’t shied away from placing designated hitter/first baseman Carlos Santana there.
“I don’t know if they got it from us or not,” Hurdle said, “but I do know the game — we all have the ability to see something someone else does really well that makes you want to try it.”
The Pirates certainly aren’t exempt from borrowing other teams’ ideas. For example, advanced scouting said it was wise to have Andrew McCutchen bat second, but Hurdle admitted it was really when he saw the Cincinnati Reds used Joey Votto in that spot that his wheels started to turn.
The Rockies made two moves prior to tonight’s game, recalling right-handed pitchers Miguel Castro and Jordan Lyles from Triple-A Albuquerque. To make these moves, the Rockies placed pitcher Christian Bergman on the 15-day disabled list and optioned pitcher Scott Oberg to Albuquerque… Last season, the Pirates were 13-3 at PNC Park against NL West opponents… Gregory Polanco leads the National League with 16 doubles… Relief pitcher Neftali Feliz has held left-handed batters to two hits in 22 at-bats this season.
Image credit: Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports
