PNC Park — The Pirates (22 – 17) are back in action tonight against the Brewers (16 – 21) in game 3 of a 4-game set at PNC. The Bucco clubhouse is still buzzing after Cutch’s 12th inning walk-off homer evened up the series, last night. Today, Wandy Rodriguez (3 – 2, 3.62 ERA) will face Yovani Gallardo (3 – 2, 4.70 ERA).
Hurdles Notes
On Sofield sending Walker in the 8th, last night – “It’s a big gamble. If the throw’s on the money, we’re out by 15 feet. It’s an aggressive that worked to our advantage”
On the mentality of the club 40 games into the season – “Right now, we’re in a good place. We’re doing good things. Our lineup has extended better than it’s ever been before as far as being able to hit deeper. Our 8th hitter has started to swing the bat much better in the last week, which plays into that as well.”
“We got a guy at the top that’s doing some fantastic things on setting innings up and a couple guys in the middle that have been driving in runs, so you gotta have that in play, but you gotta have a bullpen to stop them, usually gotta play pretty good defense, so you usually have to have a pretty good team to come from behind and we have a pretty good team, right now.”
On Jeff Locke’s past few starts – “I like his mound presence. It’s a smaller guy, He’s not Whitey Ford, but it reminds me of the days when my father used to explain Whitey Ford to me because he’s not the biggest guy in the park, but he gets the big guys out.”
On the “SharkTank’s” availability for tonight – “I do think Mazzaro is going to be down (unavailable). He’s pitched two out of three days and we actually had him hot on the in-between day (side session). Bryan Morris, we’re going to check on him. He threw 2 innings and 22 pitches, which isn’t a lot. Everybody else is good to go.”
Other Notes
— Andrew McCutchen gave a different spin on the Brewers luck against the Pirates; “It’s like they’re playing with a horseshoe up their butt.”
— The Pirates were 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position, last night. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates have gone at least 50 seasons without winning a game when going hitless in at least 15 at bats with RISP. The Rockies were the last team to accomplish this feat (0-for-16) on 8/24/08 in a 12 inning victory against the Reds.
— John McDonald has been placed on the DL with a lower back injury after feeling his back lock up after his pinch-hit at bat in the 11th inning last night. Jordy Mercer has been recalled from AAA Indy and will be starting at SS tonight.
— Jeff Karstens started his minor league rehab assignment in High A Bradenton, last night. He threw 42 pitches in 3 innings of work. (4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K’s)
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05
(Photo credit: David Hague)
