The Pirates (21 \u2013 17) look to even the 4-game series up with the Brewers (16 \u2013 20) as Jeff Locke (3 \u2013 1, 2.95 ERA) looks to slow down Kyle Lohse (1 \u2013 4, 3.53 ERA) and Co.<\/p>\n
Hurdle Notes<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On Martin being cleared for tonight \u2013 <\/strong>\u201cHe went through a battery of exercises, tests, and drills. He\u2019s ready to go. I do believe that he\u2019s in a better position to play tonight than he might have been the last time we put him into play (Thursday in New York)\u201d<\/p>\n On having a player hurt on the bench without being placed on the DL \u2013 <\/strong>\u201cFrom a normal player perspective, I try to give it five days max. That\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve gone with one catcher basically for a week. He would have not been an option to play\u201d<\/p>\n On having Tony Sanchez on the \u201cTaxi Squad\u201d for Saturday \u2013 \u201c<\/strong>Martin showed enough significant improvement on that day as a 911 call to push out then we could do it. If not, then Tony Sanchez would have been activated.\u201d<\/p>\n On running the Hit-and-Run more, this season, compared to previous years \u2013 <\/strong>\u201cI think it\u2019s a combination of better personnel and the hitters that have been here have understood what the importance is of it. We didn\u2019t do much, initially. We tried more, last year and did more last year than we did the first year and we\u2019re doing more now than the previous two years.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell Martin<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On his neck stiffness and the time he had to sit out because of it \u2013 <\/strong>\u201cI thought I was ready last Thursday in New York and played, but it didn\u2019t feel great. I want to be out there because I enjoy playing, but I also want to be out there to be healthy for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n On being ready for tonight\u2019s start \u2013 <\/strong>\u201cI felt good yesterday and they gave me an extra day yesterday just to make sure I was ready for today and I feel great.\u201d<\/p>\n Other Notes<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n — There is a Chewbacca costume inhabiting Jason Grili\u2019s locker. Grilli, being a huge Star Wars fan, asked Russell Martin if he could help him hunt down a costume since Martin had some movie connections during his playing days in LA.<\/p>\n — Grilli also mentioned that during time in the minors in Toledo, he and a few buddies snuck into a Star Wars convention when their game got snowed out in Indy during the 2005 season.<\/p>\n — The Pirates 15 homers in the month of May are the most in the National League. They have also homered in 13 of their last 15 games and 20 of their last 24.<\/p>\n — Jeff Locke has allowed three hits or fewer and three runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. (11 total hits and 4 earned runs over 24 innings for a 1.50 ERA)<\/p>\n First pitch is scheduled for 7:05<\/p>\n (Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Pirates (21 \u2013 17) look to even the 4-game series up with the Brewers (16 \u2013 20) as Jeff Locke (3 \u2013 1, 2.95 ERA) looks to slow down Kyle Lohse (1 \u2013 4, 3.53 ERA) and Co. Hurdle Notes \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On Martin being cleared for tonight \u2013 \u201cHe went through a battery of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15146,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[616,1230,2092,520,377,2152],"class_list":["post-15145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional","tag-clint-hurdle","tag-jeff-locke","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-mlb","tag-pittsburgh-pirates","tag-russell-martin"],"yoast_head":"\n