Pirates

Pirates Preview: Can Oviedo Keep Winning Streak Alive?

Published

11 months ago

June 5, 2023

The Pittsburgh Pirates (31-27) are coming off a huge sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals. Monday, the Pirates begin a three-game set at home against the Oakland Athletics (12-48).

Sunday afternoon, Rich Hill pitched a masterful 6.2 innings against the Red Birds, and David Bednar came out for the third straight game and earned the save in a 2-1 victory.

Ji-Hwan Bae’s two-RBI single in the first inning proved to be all the Pirates needed, and the Pirates improved to 6-23 when scoring less than four runs.

The first pitch at PNC Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Monday’s game will be aired on AT&T Sportsnet. You can also listen to the game on the Pirates radio station, 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

It’s looking like it will be a sunny day at first pitch for the Pirates and Athletics. Temperatures are expected to range between 69-78 degrees throughout the contest, with 6-7 mph winds blowing northwest.

The Pirates will send out RHP Johan Oviedo (3-4, 4.50 ERA)

Oviedo didn’t have his best stuff during his last start on May 30 against the San Francisco Giants, but he battled enough to keep his team in the game.

Oviedo struggled with control early on, and as a result, he walked five Giants in 4.1 innings pitched.

When his slider was on, it was on. Oviedo induced 13 total swings and misses on May 30 and got eight of them from his slider alone. In addition, his four-seam topped out at 97.7 mph and got three whiffs.

Oveido limited the hard-hit balls against the Giants. Ten balls were put into play and averaged 87.7 mph in exit velocity. Oviedo’s slider garnered the best results with an average exit velocity of 84.6, with just one ball put in play.

Oviedo has yet to play the Athletics in his 201 career innings pitched.

The Athletics will send out LHP JP Sears (0-3, 4.37 ERA)

Sears pitched rather well in May.

Sears pitched one bad game on May 8, where he gave up six hits, five earned runs, no walks, and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.

Other than that bad start, Sears has pitched a combined 28.1 innings in May and has allowed 21 hits, six earned runs, five walks, and 23 strikeouts.

Sears has a four-pitch mix with a four-seam (52.8%), sweeper (30%), changeup (11.4%), and an occasional slider (5.8%). In addition, Sears’ four-seam averages around 93 mph.

Sears has never faced the Pirates in his 129.2 innings pitched.

Athletics Hitters

Jace Peterson: 0-2 with one walk and two strikeouts

Pirates Hitters

Mark Mathias: 2-2 with a homer
Carlos Santana: 1-6

Tidbits

With drawing first blood in against the Cardinals on Sunday, the Pirates improved their record to 22-6 when scoring first.
Rich Hill’s 6.2 innings pitched on Sunday was the most he’s pitched since Aug. 27, 2022, for the Boston Red Sox. Hill pitched seven innings that game in a winning effort against the Tampa Bay Rays.
In addition, the Pirates improved their record to 23-6 when their starter goes 6+ innings.