Marvel takes the hill for the Pirates in game two in Milwaukee

Pirates’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year James Marvel (0-2, 9.00) will make his third major league start tonight at 7:10 p.m. Eastern at Miller Park in Milwaukee, as Pittsburgh try to snap a seven game losing streak. He’ll be faced by Brewers right-hander Zach Davies (10-7, 3.70)

Davies, who missed about a third of last season with a rotator cuff inflammation, has bounced back nicely in his fourth full season in the majors. Owner of a 3.95 career ERA, except for his hobbled 2018 season, Davies has posted a season ERA between 3.70 and 3.97 in every other year that’s he’s appeared.

A soft-tosser who’s fastball averages only 88.4 mph, Davies only whiffs 5.9 batters every nine innings, while walking 3.0, and has not had a problem with the long ball, surrendering 20 in 29 previous starts.

This will be the fourth time that Davies has faced the Pirates this year, with the Brewers winning all three of the previous meeting, all in June, where Davies allowed a total of six runs in 18 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Davies has quite typical platoon splits this year, allowing a .727 OPS on a 264/318/408 batting line to right-handed batters, and a .770 OPS to lefties (259/322/448), which includes a homerun rate that’s 40% higher than by righties.

After garnering a 16-5, 2.94 record in the minors, earning him Pitcher of the Year honors, Marvel allowed two runs in five innings to the Cardinals in his debut on Sept. 8, but then was lit up for seven runs in four innings six days later against the Cubs in Wrigley Field.

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PIRATES

1 R Kevin Newman SS

2 S Bryan Reynolds CF

3 L Adam Frazier 2B

4 R Jose Osuna 1B

5 L Colin Moran 3B

6 R Elias Diaz C

7 L Kevin Kramer RF

8 R Erik Gonzalez LF

9 R James Marvel RHP

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BREWERS

1 L Trent Grisham RF

2 S Yasmani Grandal C

3 L Mike Moustakas 3B

4 R Keston Hiura 2B

5 R Ryan Braun LF

6 L Eric Thames 1B

7 R Lorenzo Cain CF

8 R Orlando Arcia SS

9 R Zach Davies P