Pirates

Pirates Preview: Can Jared Jones Match Previous Start Against Rockies?

Published

7 months ago

June 15, 2024

Pittsburgh Pirates Jared Jones pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The Pittsburgh Pirates belted three home runs in a 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday night.

Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen and Jack Suwinski were responsible for the three Pirates’ homers and Luis Ortiz tossed five strong innings of relief.

The Pirates (33-36) will look to make it two in a row over the Rockies (24-45) to start the series as Jared Jones tries to replicate what he did the last time he faced Colorado.

First pitch is 9:10 ET and the game will be aired on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Weather

Partly sunny skies with temperatures around 80 degrees. Winds S at 8-9 mph.

The Pittsburgh Pirates Will Send Out RHP Jared Jones (4-5, 3.27 ERA)

Jones had a solid, albeit unspectacular start his last time out against the Twins.

At PNC Park, Jones allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings while walking three and striking out three batters. The Pirates eventually fell in 10 innings.

It wasn’t a poor showing by any means, but far from what Jones has showed this season. Among qualified rookies, the 22-year-old is third in strikeouts with 79 and leads in quality starts with eight.

Jones faced the Rockies at PNC Park last month and had what was probably his best start of the season. He held Colorado to one run in seven innings and recorded 10 strikeouts against no walks.

The Colorado Rockies Will Send Out LHP Ty Blach (2-4, 4.84 ERA)

In his last start against the Cardinals, Blach allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings.

Despite the poor showing in his last start at home, Blach has performed well at Coors Field this season. In seven appearances, he’s 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in a tough place for pitchers to be effective.

Blach doesn’t rely on strikeouts, as he’s punched out just 22 batters in 44.1 innings so far this season. Opponents are hitting .311 against him.

Blach is winless in five previous matchups with the Pirates. He owns an 0-1 record with a 6.17 ERA in his career against the Bucs.

Rockies Hitters vs. Jones

Brenton Doyle: 0 for 3, three strikeouts
Ryan McMahon: 0 for 3, two strikeouts
Ezequiel Tovar: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Blach

Yasmani Grandal: 4 for 16, five walks, four strikeouts
Michael A. Taylor: 3 for 4, one triple, two home runs, five RBIs
Andrew McCutchen: 0 for 4, one strikeout
Connor Joe: 1 for 3
Bryan Reynolds: 1 for 3, one RBI

Tidbits

Andrew McCutchen needs one more hit for 2,100 in his career and one more RBI to tie Gus Suhr for seventh on the Pirates’ all-time list.
Aroldis Chapman has been scored upon in only four of his last 19 outings. He has a 1.17 ERA over his last last eight appearances.
Chapman needs six more strikeouts to break Billy Wagner’s record for most strikeouts by a left-handed reliever in history. Wagner had 1,196 career punchouts.