Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs Aim to Take Series Against Baseball’s Best

Published

6 months ago

July 20, 2024

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Luis L. Ortiz throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (49-48) took game one of the Keystone Classic on Friday night, walking off the MLB-best Philadelphia Phillies (62-35) with a Nick Gonzales single to cap a ninth-inning rally. Now they’ll look to take the series and extend their five-game winning streak in the process, continuing to build positive momentum out of the All-Star Break. Pittsburgh currently sits half a game out of the third and final wild card spot, the latest date they’ve been in legitimate playoff contention since 2018.

First pitch is set for 6:40pm, with the game aired on AT&T Sportsnet.

Weather:

Temperatures will sit in the mid 80s at first pitch, tabling off slowing as night falls. The forecast calls for cloudy skies and a 6 mile per hour cross breeze when the game starts, shifting to blow in off the Allegheny River in the later innings.

Starters:

The Pirates will send right-hander Luis Ortiz (4-2, 2.84 ERA, 57 SO in 66.2 innings) to the mound.

Philadelphia will counter with lefty All-Star Christopher Sánchez (7-4, 2.96 ERA, 87 SO in 103.1 innings). Sánchez allowed one earned run in six innings against Pittsburgh back in April as the Pirates won 5-2. Ortiz also appeared in that contest, providing a scoreless frame in relief.

Matchups:

Phillies’ Hitters vs Ortiz

Kyle Schwarber: 1-for-2 with a homer and a walk
Trea Turner: 2-for-3 with a double

Pirates’ Hitters vs Sánchez

Andrew McCutchen: 0-for-2 with 3 walks
Michael A. Taylor: 3-for-5

Tidbits:

The Pirates’ ongoing five-game winning streak cements them as the hottest team in baseball right now.
Pittsburgh currently sits above .500 for the first time since the start of play on April 25.