Pirates, Riding 4 Game Win Streak, Draw Within 2 Of Cubs

The Pittsburgh Pirates have won four in a row and they have an excellent chance to extend their streak to five with a victory over a slumping Miami team on Tuesday night.

Nothing is really going very well for the Marlins in May. Their manager, Mike Redmond, was fired last week. They lost the first eight games of a 10 game homestand. And their best player, perennial All Star Giancarlo Stanton, batted .159 during those 10 games (although he did homer last night against Charlie Morton).

The Pirates, on the other hand, are a team on the upswing. Their pitching staff’s ERA is the second lowest in the MLB at 3.11. They’re just two games back in the wild card hunt. And their star player, Andrew McCutchen, appears to finally be getting back in his groove, batting .450 during the current homestand.

Tuesday night’s matchup will feature the major league debut of the Marlins number 2 prospect, Jose Urena. While scouts think Urena has the stuff to be a major league starter, he is certainly untested, having only pitched three major league innings in 2015. It offers the Pirates offense a critical opportunity to get their bats going; they come into the game ranked 20th in the MLB in runs scored. While that’s not poor enough to drop them from contention, it’s surely not what fans and management expected from a team led by arguably the best offensive outfield in baseball.

The Pirates pitching, on the other hand, trails only the juggernaut Cardinals rotation in overall ERA. They will send number 5 starter Jeff Locke to the mound. Locke will face a challenge in Stanton, who has a lifetime .500 average, including 2 home runs, against the young lefthander. But the rest of the cold-as-the-Atlantic Marlins offense offers Locke a chance to shine, as well.

For the Pirates, Jung Ho Kang will start at third, while Jordy Mercer has returned to short. Josh Harrison has the night off, but will be available off the bench.

Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s game:

Pittsburgh

1. Harrison RF

2. Walker 2B

3. McCutchen CF

4. Marte RF

5. Kang SS

6. Alvarez 1B

7. Cervelli C

8. Mercer SS

9. Locke P

Miami

1. Gordon 2B

2. Ozuna CF

3. Stanton RF

4. Prado 3B

5. Baker 1B

6. Realmuto C

7. Yelich LF

8. Hechavarria SS

9. Urena P

The National League Wild Card race currently stands as follows:

1. Giants, 26-20
2. Cubs, 24-20
3. Mets, 25-21
4. Braves, 22-22
5. Pirates, 22-22