Game Thread: Twins at Pirates, 8/6/20

These days, rather than being on a treasure hunt, the Pirates seem to be on salvage duty. Today, they’ll take on the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park, hoping to rescue the last game in this four-game series. The first pitch will be at 1:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.

It’s going to be a JT kind of day for the Bucs, as the recently called-up JT Riddle (the JT stands for Joshua Travis) will handle shortstop duties today and JT Brubaker (Jonathan Trey) (0-0, 000 ERA, 7K) will take the mound for his first-ever MLB start. Brubaker, taking the rotation place of the injured Mitch Keller, has been one of the few bright spots on the Pirates’ pitching staff, throwing seven Ks and giving up no runs in two relief appearances. Given the woeful state of Pirates starting pitching, some fresh blood might be what’s needed.

For the Twins, Kenta Maeda (2-0, 1.64 ERA, 12 K) will be on the hill. The former Dodger’s been very good so far in his first season with Minnesota; in his last outing against Cleveland he hurled a single-hit beauty, giving up one walk and striking out six. He last pitched against the Pirates at PNC on May tenth, 2019, going five innings with three earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts in an eventual 11-7 Dodgers win.

Here are your lineups, and LET’S GO BUCS!

PIRATES

Adam Frazier, 2B

Phillip Evans, 3B

Josh Bell, DH

Colin Moran, 1B

Bryan Reynolds, LF

Gregory Polanco, RF

JT Riddle, SS

John Ryan Murphy, C

Jarrod Dyson, CF

TWINS

Max Kepler, RF

Jorge Polanco, SS

Nelson Cruz, DH

Eddie Rosario, LF

Miguel Sano, 1B

Luis Arraez, 2B

Marwin Gonzalez, 3B

Alex Avila, C

Byron Buxton, CF