Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs in Arizona on Memorial Day

Published

2 months ago

May 26, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on Sunday afternoon.

After falling behind by three runs, the Pirates scored five unanswered, only to watch their lead slip away in the eighth inning.

Coming off a 4-3 homestand, the Pirates (19-35) head out west. They’ll start a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks (26-27) on Memorial Day.

First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Chase Field is protected by a roof so weather will not be a factor this series.

LHP Andrew Heaney (3-3, 2.91 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Heaney got his first win since Apr. 23 by holding the Reds to one run in 5.0 innings in the rubber match on Wednesday.

After allowing four runs in back-to-back starts, Heaney has a 2.25 ERA (4er/16.0ip) over his last three starts.

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Heaney has made two previous appearances (one start) against Arizona and is 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA.

RHP Ryne Nelson (1-1, 4.60 ERA) Will Start for the Diamondbacks

Nelson made his second start of the season against the Dodgers on Tuesday and allowed just one run on three hits in 5.0 innings pitched.

The right-hander has made 11 total appearances on the season in all different types of roles and has one save.

Opponents are hitting .212 against him with a .649 OPS. Despite his ability to limit the damage against him so far, batters are averaging a 91.9 mph exit velocity and a 44.8% hard hit rate.

Nelson faced the Pirates once in his career and allowed four runs in 5.0 innings.

Diamondbacks Hitters vs. Heaney

Randal Grichuk: 3 for 16, one home run, two RBI, two strikeouts
Eugenio Suárez: 0 for 9, three walks, six strikeouts
Josh Naylor: 4 for 8, two doubles, one RBI, one walk, one strikeout
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 3 for 7, one walk, one strikeout
Ketel Marte: 2 for 6, two home runs, three RBI, one walk

Pirates Hitters vs. Nelson

Tommy Pham 1 for 5, one strikeout
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 3, one double, one triple, two RBI, one strikeout
Oneil Cruz: 0 for 3, one strikeout
Adam Frazier: 0 for 3

Tidbits

Oneil Cruz hit a home run with a 122.9 mph exit velocity on Sunday. That’s the hardest hit ball of the Statcast era (since 2015).
In the series against the Brewers, Cruz recorded a double, a triple, three home runs, five RBI, two walks and five runs scored. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, he’s only the fifth Pirates player ever to post those stats or better in a series of any length and the first since Brian Giles in 2002.
Bailey Falter now has a 0.92 ERA (3er/29.1ip) in May. That’s the fourth-best mark in baseball.