Pirates Preview: Bucs Look to Shake Off Last Night’s Loss

The Pittsburgh Pirates still probably have a bad taste in their mouths after how their 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres ended on Friday night.

Henry Davis appeared to have drawn a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, which would have tied the game, but home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez called him out on strikes to end the inning.

The Pirates (21-37) will look to bounce back after a tough call didn’t go their way when they face the Padres (32-23) again on Saturday night.

First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low-70s. Winds W at 5 mph.

LHP Bailey Falter (3-3, 3.47 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Falter struggled some with his command in his last start but held the Brewers to three runs (two earned) in 5.2 innings on Sunday.

The left-hander enters his final May start with a sparkling 0.92 ERA (3er/29.1ip) this month. Opponents only have 15 hits against him.

Falter’s 0.92 ERA in May is the third-best mark in MLB, behind the Royals’ Kris Bubic (0.56) and the Rangers Nathan Eovaldi (0.68).

In four career appearances/two starts against San Diego, Falter is 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA. He allowed one run in 7.0 innings against them at PNC Park earlier this month.

RHP Dylan Cease (1-3, 4.58 ERA) Will Start for the Padres

Cease last pitched against the Braves on Sunday and allowed three runs with eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings.

It’s been a solid month for Cease, who has a 3.38 ERA (11er/29.1ip) in five starts. His first start in May came against the Pirates, when he allowed two runs in 4.0 innings.

Cease, who is looking for his first win since Apr. 2, is tied for eighth in the National League with 72 strikeouts.

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

Padres Hitters vs. Falter

• Luis Arraez: 1 for 5, one double, one walk
• Xander Bogaerts: 0 for 5, three strikeouts
• Martín Maldonado: 3 for 4, one double, one RBI, one strikeout
• Elias Díaz: 2 for 3, one walk one strikeout
• Luis Campusano: 1 for 3, one walk
• Manny Machado: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one walk
• Jose Iglesias: 0 for 3
• Fernando Tatis Jr.: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Cease

• Adam Frazier: 4 for 15, two RBI, two strikeouts
• Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 8, one RBI, one strikeout
• Nick Solak: 1 for 7, one home run, two RBI, one strikeout
• Ke’Bryan Hayes: 3 for 6, one triple, two RBI, one walk, one strikeout
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 5, one strikeout
• Andrew McCutchen: 1 for 3
• Tommy Pham: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Tidbits

• Andrew McCutchen passed Arky Vaughan for sole possession of ninth place on the Pirates’ all-time hit list with 1,710. He also tied catcher Jason Kendall for 190th on the all-time hit list with 2,195.
• Mitch Keller allowed three runs in 6.0 innings against the Padres on Friday, giving him five-straight quality starts.
• The Pirates have lost 10-straight games against the Padres.

Links

North Allegheny’s Cole Young Getting Promoted to Mariners

Missed Call Costs Pirates Late; Keller’s Quality Start Not Enough in Loss to Padres

Fire Away! Fielding Questions for Weekly PBN+ Pirates Q&A

Perrotto: Spencer Horwitz Getting His Stuff Together

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