Gamethread: Pirates go for sweep in Detroit

Chad Kuhl will take the mound in a 6:10pm ET start as the Pirates try to sweep both their doubleheader and their season-opening series against Detroit. Kuhl will try to recover from a rough spring in which he posted a 10.06 ERA in 17 innings.

Detroit will send out 6’5” lefty Ryan Carpenter in what will probably be a single, spot start. Carpenter is 27 years old and will be making his major league debut. He’s never figured on top prospect lists, although he did strike out over a batter an inning in AAA last year at Albuquerque. He had a 4.15 ERA, which isn’t bad for the environment. The Tigers signed Carpenter to a major league contract after he left the Rockies as a minor league free agent.

The lineups:

Pirates

1. Josh Harrison, 2B
2. Jordy Mercer, SS
3. Starling Marte, CF
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Francisco Cervelli, DH
6. David Freese, 3B
7. Gregory Polanco, RF
8. Sean Rodriguez, LF
9. Elias Diaz, C

Tigers

1. Dixon Machado, 2B
2. Jeimer Candelario, 3B
3. Miguel Cabrera, DH
4. Nicholas Castellanos, RF
5. Niko Goodrum, 1B
6. James McCann, C
7. JaCoby Jones, CF
8. Jose Iglesias, SS
9. Victor Reyes, LF