Sweep Dreams Dashed, Bucs Look For Another Series Win
By Tom Smith
It’s unfortunate
the Pirates aren’t talking about pulling out the brooms today against the San Diego Padres. We should be talking about rolling out of San Diego on a mission. Instead the Bucs will be simply trying to take another road series and getting their record to 15-16.
Kevin Correia will have plenty to prove against his former team at Petco Park in a 635EST start. Unfortunately for Correia, it’s difficult to imagine the Padres, behind starter Clayton Richard (1-2, 3.82,) playing much worse than they did last night.
Correia hasn’t lost on the road this season and has allowed just four earned runs in 28.2 innings pitched. He has thrown at least 89 pitches in each of those road starts and has allowed only 19 hits.
The Pirates are 4-1 against lefties on the season. Clayton Richard has been an after thought for his Padres teammates. Two starts ago, the left-handed Richard went 7.1 innings, allowed six hits, two runs, and got absolutely no run support against Philadelphia. Last Friday, the Dodgers got a pair of runs and eight hits in 5.2 innings against Richard.
His one win on the season was against the Cardinals and Richard is also 1-0 in two starts against the Buccos with a sparkling 0.00 ERA.
This should be fun tonight. The Bucs rule against left handers and with a victory can come back to PNC Park and rectify their disappointing home record. The Astros will be the perfect (gulp) ballclub to turn it around against.
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Hot against southpaws: Ronny Cedeno, Ryan Doumit, Chris Snyder, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker are all hitting over .300.
Not so hot against southpaws: Pedro 4-for-19, Matt Diaz 1-for-17, Lyle Overbay 3-for-27, Andrew McCutchen 2-for-18
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How about Daniel McCutchen going from our glaring weakness to the Great White Cutch? Damn, what’s more impressive his ripped physique or that sick WHIP of 0.73????
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John Bowker has also cleared waivers and was assigned to AAA Indianapolis. Party like it’s 1984.
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