Pirates

Pirates Preview: Luis Ortiz Looks to Keep on Rolling

Published

1 month ago

September 6, 2024

The Pittsburgh Pirates rebounded after getting no-hit on Wednesday and defeated the Washington Nationals in the first of a 10-game homestand on PNC Park on Thursday night.

Eight different Pirates collected a hit and the team drew a season-high nine walks. Bailey Falter settled in after a rough first inning and earned his seventh win of the season, setting a career-high.

The Pirates (66-74) will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Nationals (62-78) and four of five overall in the second game of the series on Saturday night.

First pitch is set for 6:40 ET and the game will be aired on SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Weather

Cloudy skies and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees. Winds NW at 7 mph.

The Pittsburgh Pirates Will Send Out RHP Luis Ortiz (6-4, 3.19 ERA)

Ortiz delivered one of his best starts of the season in Cleveland on Saturday, holding the Guardians scoreless on one hit in six innings pitched.

It marked two-straight scoreless outings for Ortiz, who is riding a career-high 15 inning-scoreless streak dating back to his start against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 19.

In 11 starts on the season, Ortiz is 3-2 with a 2.95 ERA. He’s held opponents to a .189 batting average as a starting pitcher.

Ortiz faced the Nationals out of the bullpen for the first time in his career earlier this season. He allowed a pair of runs in a single inning of work.

The Washington Nationals Will Send Out LHP DJ Herz (2-7, 4.09 ERA)

Herz was roughed up a bit in his last start against the Chicago Cubs, allowing four runs in 4.2 innings. Even with the subpar outing, the left-hander had a 3.10 ERA in six August starts.

Herz leads qualified rookies with 11.25 strikeouts per nine innings, just ahead of Pirates’ right-hander Paul Skenes (11.21).

His four-pitch arsenal is led by a four-seam fastball, which he throws 54% of the time. A changeup and slider are his two main secondary pitches and he’ll also mix in a few curveballs on occasion.

This will be his first time facing the Pirates.

Nationals Hitters vs. Ortiz

Luis García Jr.: 1 for 1, one RBI

Pirates Hitters vs. Herz

Bryan De La Cruz: 0 for 2, one strikeout

Tidbits

Oneil Cruz snapped an 0-for-16 skid with a first-inning double and Bryan De La Cruz snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a pinch-hit single in the sixth.
Dennis Santana issued a leadoff walk in a scoreless seventh inning in the win. It snapped a string of 18-straight retired batters dating back to Aug. 23.
Falter’s win against the Nationals was the fourth in his career against the Nationals. He doesn’t have more than two against any other opponent.