The Big Stage at PNC Park Tonight is Perfect for James McDonald

Fox Baseball will be in Pittsburgh tonight for their regional broadcast coverage of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals.

All eyes will be on James McDonald. Sure, the coverage will highlight Andrew McCutchen, as it should, but the real story tonight for us is JMac.  It’s almost expected by fans that he will pitch lights out every time he toes the rubber.

Maybe that’s because in his last 19 innings, he has given up just one run.  In his last seven starts he has a 1.78 ERA.

The 27-year old makes his 12th start tonight, and has been a winner in five of his past six decisions.  He hasn’t lost since May 11, and shouldn’t have lost that night, either; he went eight innings, gave up four hits,  and just one stinking run in a 1-0 Pirates loss to Bud Norris and the Astros.

In his last start against the Brewers, he retired 14 consecutive batters until he gave up that one earned run–a bomb to Nyjer Morgan.

He’s unreal at PNC Park as he rocks a 1.28 earned run average.  The big numbers for us are 71 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.  He has walked 20.

McDonald has earned the main stage.  We think he will rock it tonight, too.