Game Thread: Steven Brault gets start vs. Reds

Steven Brault will get his first start of the season, in place of the DL’ed Joe Musgrove, in tonight’s 7:05 series opener against the Reds.

Brault pitched the final three innings of the Pirates’ 13-inning, season-opening win in Detroit on Friday, with three strikeouts, a walk and two hits. He’ll face Homer Bailey, who, to my knowledge, has never faced the Pirates ever. Nope, not at all.

Jordy Mercer, who bruised his right pinky finger in a dive back to first base on Monday, is back in the lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s game.

Also note, with a conflict with the Penguins, tonight’s game will be televised on MLB Network in the Pittsburgh market.

The lineups:

Reds

1. Billy Hamilton, CF
2. Eugenio Suarez, 3B
3. Joey Votto, 1B
4. Adam Duvall, LF
5. Scooter Gennett, 2B
6. Jesse Winker, RF
7. Jose Peraza, SS
8. Tucker Barnhart, C
9. Homer Bailey, P

— — —

Pirates

1. Josh Harrison, 2B
2. Gregory Polanco, RF
3. Starling Marte, CF
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Corey Dickerson, LF
6. David Freese, 3B
7. Francisco Cervelli, C
8. Jordy Mercer, SS
9. Steven Brault, P