Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs Take Seven-Game Losing Streak to Sunny San Diego

Published

2 months ago

August 12, 2024

Make it seven-straight losses for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who fell 6-5 in 10 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Andrew McCutchen hit a pair of home runs in the game but Teoscar Hernández delivered a walk-off single for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 10th.

The Pirates (56-61) will try and put an end to their prolonged dry spell when they start a three-game series with the San Diego Padres (66-53) on Monday night.

First pitch is set for 9:40 ET and the game will be aired on SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Weather

As expected, a perfect night for baseball. Temperatures in the 70s and clear skies with winds blowing W at 5-7 mph.

The Pittsburgh Pirates Will Send Out RHP Jake Woodford (0-3, 7.41 ERA)

This will be Woodford’s fourth appearance with the Pirates and second start since he was selected from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Woodford made his first Pirates’ start against the Astros in Houston and pitched well. In five innings, he allowed three unearned runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

In two relief appearances since then, Woodford has allowed four runs in 4.2 innings.

He’s made five relief appearances/one start against the Padres in his career and is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

The San Diego Padres Will Send Out RHP Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.66 ERA)

Musgrove, who has missed much of the season due to right elbow inflammation, will be activated off the 60-day injured list to face the Pirates.

The right-hander has been limited to 10 starts this season and struggled. Through 49.1 innings pitched, Musgrove allowed 10 home runs while opponents hit .305 against him.

He spent three seasons with the Pirates from 2018-20 after coming over from the Houston Astros in the Gerrit Cole trade.

Against Pittsburgh, Musgrove is 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts.

Padres Hitters vs. Woodford

Manny Machado: 1 for 4, two RBIs
David Peralta: 1 for 4, one RBI
Ha-Seong Kim: 0 for 4
Jake Cronenworth: 2 for 3
Luis Campusano: 0 for 3

Pirates Hitters vs. Musgrove

Andrew McCutchen: 3 for 14, two doubles, one RBI, six strikeouts
Yasmani Grandal: 5 for 11, three doubles, one home run, one RBI, three strikeouts
Connor Joe: 1 for 9, one double, one RBI, three strikeouts
Bryan De La Cruz: 2 for 8, two strikeouts
Ke’Bryan Hayes: 3 for 6, one strikeout
Bryan Reynolds: 3 for 6, one double, one walk, one strikeout
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0 for 6, two strikeouts
Joey Bart: 0 for 4, two strikeouts
Michael A. Taylor: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Tidbits

Andrew McCutchen’s two-homer performance against the Dodgers was the 20th-multi homer game of his career. It was the first time he’d done it with the Pirates since 2017.
McCutchen is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak and is batting .333 (11 for 33) during that span.
Six of the Pirates’ last eight losses have come by one run. Prior to the current stretch, the Pirates had been 19-17 in one-run games.