Sunday, July 8, 2018

PIRATES TRY TO AVOID A SWEEP


PHILADELPHIA AT PITTSBURGH
WHEN: 1:35 PM ET, Sunday, July 8, 2018
WHERE: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia Phillies are kings of the Keystone State, and they hope to add to their dominance over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The Phillies aim to complete a season sweep of their intrastate rivalry and earn a seventh straight victory overall when they face the host Pirates in the finale of a three-game series.
The Phillies improved to a major league-best 19-7 in one-run games with a 3-2 victory Saturday, collecting their third such win over Pittsburgh this season to go along with three triumphs of four or more runs. Philadelphia has outscored the Pirates 38-12 in the previous five meetings in 2018. The Phillies have won eight of their last nine and remain tied with Atlanta atop the National League East. The Pirates have dropped five straight, allowing 51 runs during the skid.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, AT&T SportsNet - Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Drew Anderson (2017: 0-0, 23.14 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Nick Kingham (2-4, 4.70)
ANDERSON: Anderson will make his first big-league start and his first appearance of the season with the Phillies. The 24-year-old was tagged for seven runs (six earned) in 2 1/3 innings across two relief appearances last August. Anderson is 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season.
KINGHAM: After winning his first two starts of the season, Kingham has lost four consecutive decisions, including three straight starts in which the offense has scored a total of one run. The 26-year-old was lit up for seven runs (five earned) in three-plus innings Monday at the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he allowed three home runs. Kingham is 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates C Francisco Cervelli, sidelined since June 21 due to a concussion, worked out Saturday and is expected to be activated before the series finale.

2. Phillies 2B Cesar Hernandez was held out of the lineup Saturday after fouling a ball off his foot Friday, but he was used as a pinch hitter and is day-to-day.

3. Pittsburgh on Saturday activated RHP Michael Feliz from the 10-day disabled list and called up RHP Alex McRae from Triple-A Indianapolis. RHP Dovydas Neverauskas and LHP Josh Smoker were optioned to Indianapolis.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Phillies 4

STATS AND RECORDS
TEAM COMPARISON

W/L
Strk
Home
Away
East
Central
West
IL
PHILADELPHIA
49-36
W6
30-16
19-20
15-16
17-8
9-8
8-4
PITTSBURGH
40-48
L5
21-23
19-25
4-12
18-16
8-18
10-2
Last Meeting
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Date
Away
Home
Avg
HR
OPS
Avg
HR
OPS
7/7/18
PHI 3
PIT 2
.265
0
.688
.229
1
.593
Player Stats
Season Series

Batting
Player
Avg
Hits
OPS
Philadelphia
O. Herrera
.370
10
.948
Pittsburgh
S. Marte
.348
8
.878

Offense
Player
HR
Runs
RBI
Philadelphia
R. Hoskins
2
6
8
Pittsburgh
S. Marte
1
2
3

Pitching
ERA
Avg
K
Philadelphia
1.61
.282
62
Pittsburgh
6.36
.206
63
Season

Batting
Player
Avg
Hits
OPS
Philadelphia
O. Herrera
.280
92
.807
Pittsburgh
C. Dickerson
.308
91
.803

Offense
Player
HR
Runs
RBI
Philadelphia
O. Herrera
15
44
51
Pittsburgh
G. Polanco
12
43
43

Pitching
ERA
Avg
K
Philadelphia
3.85
.237
784
Pittsburgh
4.51
.249
735


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