It is the start of another home stand for the Pittsburgh Pirates as the team returns to town to face the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates are 1-5 against the Reds this season and 1-2 at PNC Park.
Locke goes back to basics
Jeff Locke gets the start for the Pirates and is 1-0 in his last three starts. He also has not allowed a run at PNC Park in his last 16.2 innings pitched.
Locke was a winner in his last start which was Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed two runs on three hits in six innings while striking out a season high eight batters.
Pitching coach Ray Searage has noticed an improvement in Locke’s past three starts.
“He’s been able to execute pitching inside better where before his ball was coming back over the plate,” Searage said. “It was just a little adjustment in his mechanics that we needed to do. We’ve worked on it his last bullpens and his last two starts and we’re starting to see the results from him which is positive.”
Searage cites Locke’s wanting to improve and his close relationship with the other four starting pitchers for his success. Locke, Searage said is focused on getting back to where he was earlier in his career and competing every pitch until manager Clint Hurdle takes the ball away from him.
“That’s what he’s embraced right now,” said Searage. “It’s not like he didn’t have it before, but his command was not where he wanted it to be and that caused a bit of wavering for him when he’s out there. Now he’s going out there and getting the ball where he wants it to be.”
It was expected that Locke would face Johnny Cueto, the Reds ace who has been a thorn to the Pirates side throughout his career, however that will not be the case. Cueto’s start was moved to Friday. Reds manager Bryan Price felt that extra rest would be best and that he was not 100 percent back from elbow inflammation. Cueto, Price said could have pitched tonight but with the team’s recent rain out combined with a day off Monday it was too good of a window to pass up.
As a result, Josh Smith will make his major league debut tonight after being promoted from Triple-A Louisville. This is his second stint with the Reds as he was up with the big league club April 13 and 14. He was selected by the Reds in the 21st round of the June 2010 MLB Draft. Smith is 1-3 with a 3.56 ERA in Louisville this season. He won double digit games in three of his past four seasons in the minor leagues.
Seventh inning stretch:
Jameson Taillon has to play a game he is all too familiar with, the waiting game. This comes after he experienced lower abdominal discomfort after his last outing.
“After his last outing he felt discomfort and we’re working through exactly how long and what the severity is,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a small media scrum today. “We’re in the evaluation process and as soon as we have some good information we’ll give it to you.”
Taillon was scheduled to have another outing, though Huntington did not specify if it was another extended Spring Training appearance or if he was ready to take the next step in his recovery process. Taillon felt the discomfort the day following his most recent outing and the soreness and discomfort has continued.
This injury is the latest in a series of setbacks that have affecting the Pirates pitching depth.
“A little bit snake bit right now,” said Huntington of the team’s luck. “Injuries are part of the game and pitching is a game of attrition. That’s why you build a deep organization and keep running the man out there.”
Tyler Glasnow also is getting closer to a full return. He pitched with the West Virginia Black Bears Friday and Huntington was unsure where his next start would be. He believed despite the lack of luck that Glasnow threw the ball healthy and will continue to build on the start.
Bottom of the ninth:
Chris Volstad was in the Pirates clubhouse prior to the start of the game. This was a precautionary move because of Rob Scahill’s health… Reds closer Aroldis Chapman is on paternity leave and will return to action on Thursday. Price said he would let game action dictate who he would turn to, though he mentioned Pittsburgh native J.J. Hoover’s name in passing… The Pirates own the second-best home ERA for starting pitchers at 2.60… Starling Marte is 17-for-34 in his last seven games at PNC Park… since May 19, Arquimedes Caminero has a 0.61 ERA… Since 2009, the 10 shutouts by Reds pitching is the most by any visiting team at PNC Park.
Photo credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
