BY JOSH YOHE
ATLANTA — Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (29-24) vs. Atlanta Braves (26-27), 7:35 p.m., Turner Field
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (2-0, 1.93) vs. RHP Williams Perez (2-0, 1.66)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 5:25 p.m.: Good afternoon from Atlanta, where the Pirates will look for their sixth win on this road trip. The lineup looks a little different, as you’ll note Starling Marte is hitting second for the first time this season. Marte is in a slump – his average has plummeted to .254 after being the Pirates’ most reliable player during the season’s first six weeks – and Clint Hurdle clearly wants him to see more fastballs. Hitting in front of Andrew McCutchen usually helps in that regard…The Pirates want to get McCutchen a day off, but then, he’s really hot right now. Tough taking him out of the lineup. Maybe Sunday…Hurdle is excited about what he’s seen in recent games from Gregory Polanco. “His swing is starting to tighten up,” Hurdle said. “He’s becoming more consistent, more connected.” In their last 14 games, the Pirates are 11-3. During that 14-game stretch, they’ve only seen a starting pitcher tagged with one loss…Jordy Mercer, who hit his first two home runs of the season in San Francisco, is again in the starting lineup and Jung Ho Kang will play at third, giving Josh Harrison a night off. It will be interesting to see how Hurdle divides playing time between Kang and Mercer as the season elapses…The Pirates weren’t horribly concerned with baseball at about 4 p.m. Instead, around half the team was gathered around a TV, watching the USA Soccer Team’s 4-3 victory against the Netherlands. McCutchen was the leader of the cheering section, wearing a custom-made Team USA jersey, with “McCutchen” and “22” on the back. “Oh,” Hurdle said after hearing the cheering. “So, now I know why Cutch is wearing a soccer jersey. It all makes sense now.”…If the Pirates trail entering the ninth tonight, maybe they’ll face old friend Jason Grilli. He’s been pretty good, saving 15 of 16 games for the Braves. There’s no word if he’s working on any books at this point in time.
Jung Ho Kang snapped an 0-for-14 with a two-run double Wednesday. — GETTY
June 5, 2015
Pregame notes: Pirates-Braves
by Josh Yohe • Game previews
BY JOSH YOHE
ATLANTA — Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (29-24) vs. Atlanta Braves (26-27), 7:35 p.m., Turner Field
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (2-0, 1.93) vs. RHP Williams Perez (2-0, 1.66)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 5:25 p.m.: Good afternoon from Atlanta, where the Pirates will look for their sixth win on this road trip. The lineup looks a little different, as you’ll note Starling Marte is hitting second for the first time this season. Marte is in a slump – his average has plummeted to .254 after being the Pirates’ most reliable player during the season’s first six weeks – and Clint Hurdle clearly wants him to see more fastballs. Hitting in front of Andrew McCutchen usually helps in that regard…The Pirates want to get McCutchen a day off, but then, he’s really hot right now. Tough taking him out of the lineup. Maybe Sunday…Hurdle is excited about what he’s seen in recent games from Gregory Polanco. “His swing is starting to tighten up,” Hurdle said. “He’s becoming more consistent, more connected.” In their last 14 games, the Pirates are 11-3. During that 14-game stretch, they’ve only seen a starting pitcher tagged with one loss…Jordy Mercer, who hit his first two home runs of the season in San Francisco, is again in the starting lineup and Jung Ho Kang will play at third, giving Josh Harrison a night off. It will be interesting to see how Hurdle divides playing time between Kang and Mercer as the season elapses…The Pirates weren’t horribly concerned with baseball at about 4 p.m. Instead, around half the team was gathered around a TV, watching the USA Soccer Team’s 4-3 victory against the Netherlands. McCutchen was the leader of the cheering section, wearing a custom-made Team USA jersey, with “McCutchen” and “22” on the back. “Oh,” Hurdle said after hearing the cheering. “So, now I know why Cutch is wearing a soccer jersey. It all makes sense now.”…If the Pirates trail entering the ninth tonight, maybe they’ll face old friend Jason Grilli. He’s been pretty good, saving 15 of 16 games for the Braves. There’s no word if he’s working on any books at this point in time.
Jung Ho Kang snapped an 0-for-14 with a two-run double Wednesday. — GETTY