Game Thread: Pirates Try For Sweep

After last night’s 14-0 shellacking of the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look for their first sweep since late June.

Dario Agrazal will get his first start since returning to the majors after being sent down to AAA. In first five major league starts, Agrazal gave up just seven earned runs. In his last three starts in the bigs, he gave up 13 earned runs, earning him a demotion. Overall, Agrazal is 2-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 44 innings pitched. The peripherals still do not look great as his FIP sits at 6.49 and he’s been worth -0.3 fWAR.

On July 31, Agrazal lasted just 3.2 innings while giving up three earned runs (including two home runs) in his only start against the Reds.

Trevor Bauer takes the bump for the Reds this afternoon. Since being traded to Cincinnati, he has not looked particularly great. In four starts, he’s given up 15 earned runs over 23 innings (5.87 ERA) but he has struck out 30 batters. In two career starts against the Pirates, Bauer has allowed just two runs over 13.1 innings pitched.

First pitch is at 1:35 eastern.

Lineups

Reds

LF Josh VanMeter

2B Freddy Galvis

3B Eugenio Suarez

RF Aristides Aquino

SS Jose Iglesias

1B Derek Dietrich

C Curt Casali

CF Phillip Ervin

P Trevor Bauer

Pirates

SS Kevin Newman

LF Bryan Reynolds

CF Starling Marte

1B Josh Bell

3B Colin Moran

RF Jose Osuna

2B Adam Frazier

C Elias Diaz

P Dario Agrazal