Pirates

Pirates Daily: Can Offense Break Out and Avoid Sweep in Baltimore?

Published

2 years ago

August 7, 2022

Sunday, Aug. 7, the Pittsburgh Pirates (43-64) finish their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles (56-51) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Pirates will be trying to avoid the dreaded sweep.

UPDATE (11:18 a.m.) The Pirates lineup has been posted.

Our Sunday starters.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/tfdQDj7R24

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 7, 2022

The weather at Camden Yards at first pitch (1:35 p.m.) should be a scorcher at 91 degrees. There is a 30% chance of rain between 3-4 p.m. with winds blowing south at 9 mph.

The game will be broadcast on AT&T Sportsnet PIT and over the airwaves on SportsRadio 93.7 THE FAN.

Starters

Bryse Wilson (1-6, 6.20 ERA) is scheduled to get the starting pitching nod for the Pirates, as he will face the righty Spenser Watkins (4-1, 3.80 ERA).

Wilson was cruising through the first five innings in his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers until he gave up three homers in the sixth. Maybe, Wilson’s innings should be limited.

Watkins offers a five-pitch mix with a four-seam fastball, cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup. Watkins’ fastball averages around 91 mph and he uses it around 40% of the time.

Betting Odds

The Pittsburgh Pirates open us as underdogs with the moneyline reading PIT +145 and BAL -175. The O/U stands at nine runs, with the run lines looking like PIT +1.5 (-140) and BAL -1.5 (+120).

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not?

Who’s Hot: Saturday’s version of “who’s not,” Ben Gamel sure showed me with a 2 for 3 performance with both hits being doubles.

Who’s Not: Tucupita Marcano has yet to register a hit in the series in eight at-bats with no walks and two strikeouts.

Tidbits

With Saturday’s performance, Gamel registered his 100th and 101st career doubles. Gamel has 14 doubles in the ’22 season.
With Oneil Cruz’s two-run homer in the fourth inning Saturday, the Pirates now have 41 home runs this season by rookies, matching the 2004 team for the most home runs by rookies in franchise history.
The Pirates have now used 59 players in the ’22 season. The Buccos are getting closer to matching their franchise record of 64 players used in the ’21 season.