Pirates on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball!
Probables: Alex Wood (7-7, 3.65) vs. Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.19)
Preview:
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/201508...game_pk=415313
"Pirates to face Wood for third time vs. Dodgers
By John McGonigal / MLB.com | + 0 COMMENTS
The Pirates haven't faced left-handed starting pitchers often this season, but they have gone up against left-hander Alex Wood twice. Sunday will make it three times as the Pirates and Dodgers wrap up their three-game series in Pittsburgh at 8:05 p.m. ET on Sunday at PNC Park.
In 20 games against lefty starters, the Pirates are 11-9. While that win-to-loss ratio isn't astounding by any means, the team's differing hitting statistics are notable. Pittsburgh owns a .280 batting average and .341 on-base percentage when facing southpaw starters, significantly higher than its marks against righties.
That might play well against Wood, who has struggled in recent starts. The 24-year-old, who was acquired at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, posted a 4.85 ERA in his last four starts. However, in his last start against Pittsburgh, Wood threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out eight.
Three things to know about this game
• Opposite Wood will be right-handed veteran Charlie Morton for the Pirates. After carrying a 5.89 ERA in his previous three starts, Morton was as good as he's been all year in his latest outing. The 31-year-old right-hander went seven scoreless innings, scattered five hits, and struck out seven without yielding a walk against the Reds on Aug. 2.
• Part of Wood's problem is his relatively high walk rate. Wood has recorded 2.7 walks per nine innings -- just above the league average this season. But over his past four games, the lefty has walked 10 hitters, giving him 3.46 walks per nine innings in that span.
• Morton has faced the Dodgers just once in his career, but veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins has seen him quite a bit. Rollins has seven hits in 11 at-bats (.636) against Morton, including two doubles.
John McGonigal is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs."
Section 309 for me. Something about Primetime!
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