Gameday 82: Pirates kick off second half of season with Paul Skenes on the mound
Skenes to make ninth start of major league career
Martin Perez's return didn’t exactly go as planned, as the Pirates dropped the first of three this weekend against the Braves.
Perez allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks across four innings pitched. Daulton Jefferies pitched three shutout innings, with Colin Holderman pitching the eighth.
The offense just managed six hits, three of which went for doubles, and it took a ninth-inning Ke’Bryan Hayes two-bagger for the Pirates to get on the board.
Former Pirates Charlie Morton picked up his fifth win of the season, pitching 6.1 shutout innings, striking out seven. Another former Pirate, Jesse Chaves, tossed an additional 1.1 innings of shutout baseball.
It will be quite the pitchers’ duel in the second game of the set, as Paul Skenes will face off against Max Fried.
First pitch is expected around 4:10 pm ET.
Pirates Lineup
DH - Andrew McCutchen
LF - Bryan Reynolds
1B - Connor Joe
RF - Edward Olivares
2B - Nick Gonzales
3B - Ke’Bryan Hayes
SS - Jared Triolo
C - Yasmani Grandal
CF - Michael A. Taylor
Braves Lineup
CF - Jarred Kelenic
2B - Ozzie Albies
DH - Marcel Ozuna
1B - Matt Olson
3B - Austin Riley
C - Travis d’Arnaud
LF - Forrest Wall
RF - Adam Duvall
SS - Orlando Arcia
Pitching Matchup
PIT - Paul Skenes (4-0, 2.14 ERA, 46.1 IP, 8 BB, 61 K)
ATL - Max Fried (7-3, 3.00 ERA, 90 IP, 27 BB, 80 K)
Yesterday’s Feature
Bubba Chandler is on quite the roll lately, posting back-to-back double-digit strikeout games. I looked at his recent streak and how far the young righty might jump up prospects lists if he continues this.
Today’s Feature
Luis Peralta has been one of the bigger surprises this season in the Pirates’ system. With an ERA under one and a strikeout rate over 40%, I looked at what he’s doing on the mound that has led to his success.
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0-9 wRISP. Cheringtonball.
I will be in attendance to watch Livvy's boyfriend and Max Fried square off. I also get to cross watching Edward Olivares hit cleanup off my bucket list. Somewhat distressing stat, if you could wipe out Fried's first 2 innings of the season he would be second in the majors in ERA. But he HASN'T faced the Bucco's yet. Let's have him re-live those first 2 innings.