Pirates vs. Cubs — 5/8/2021

Pittsburgh Pirates (13-18) vs. Chicago Cubs (16-16) - Saturday, May 8 @ 2:20 p.m.

Stadium: Wrigley Field, Chicago.

TV: AT&T SportsNet PIT2 (mktg.mlbstatic.com/pirates/attsportsnet-pit2.html)

Radio: 93.7 The Fan

SB Nation Cardinals site: www.bleedcubbieblue.com

Starting Pitchers

Pirates: Wil Crowe - RHP - (0-1) – 4.66 ERA - 7 total Ks

Cubs: Trevor Williams - RHP - (2-2) – 6.00 ERA – 29 total Ks

Probable Starting Lineups (subject to last-minute changes)

Pirates

1. Adam Frazier – 2B

2. Wilmer Difo – CF

3. Phillip Evans – RF

4. Colin Moran – 1B

5. Erik Gonzalez – 3B

6. Ka’ai Tom – LF

7. Kevin Newman – SS

8. Michael Perez – C

9. Wil Crowe – P

Cubs

1. Joc Pederson– LF

2. Kris Bryant – CF

3. Javier Baez – SS

4. Anthony Rizzo – 1B

5. Willson Contreras – C

6. Jason Heyward – RF

7. David Bote – 3B

8. Eric Sogard – 2B

9. Trevor Williams – P

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The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to even their series with the host Chicago Cubs when the two teams collide at 2:20 p.m. at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Wil Crowe (0-1) will make his fourth appearance of the season today and his third start. In his initial start, which came April 25 against Minnesota, the right-hander went four innings and gave up four hits and a run while walking two and striking out three.

The last time out, on May 2, Crowe took the loss in a 3-0 decision to the Cardinals. He went five innings and gave up three runs, all coming on a three-run homer by Harrison Bader.

Crowe lasted five innings and yielded three hits while walking four and striking out two.

Meanwhile, the Bucs will get their second crack at former Pirate Trevor Williams, who will be making his fourth start overall for the Cubs.

The Pirates roughed up the right-hander for 10 hits and five runs – all earned – in 3 1/3 innings in a start at PNC Park on April 11. Williams was saddled with the loss in a 7-1 decision.

Williams has rebounded from that outing with three straight solid starts, pitching a total of 15 innings and giving up 15 hits and five earned runs, striking out 18 and walking six.

In Friday’s series opener, the Bucs could not solve Cubs starter Zach Davies, as he shut them out over seven innings, giving up just five hits and a walk.

The Pirates got to the Cubs bullpen for a pair of runs in the ninth and had the bases loaded with Bryan Reynolds at the plate facing an erratic Rex Brothers. Reynolds worked a 3-1 count but after fouling off a pitch, he was retired on a fly ball to Jason Heyward in right, ending the threat and the game.

MINOR MATTERS – Three of the Pirates’ four minor league clubs lost Friday night. Double-A Altoona was the lone winner, pulling out a 5-4 10-inning victory over Bowie for its first win of the year in four starts.

Oneil Cruz’s RBI single in the ninth tied the score, and Rodolfo Castro won the game in the bottom of the 10^th inning with another RBI single. Max Kranick worked 5 2/3 innings and gave up six hits and two earned runs, striking out four and not walking a batter. Castro led the 10-hit attack with three hits while Cruz, Cal Mitchell and Jonah Davis each added two.

Triple-A Indianapolis fell 4-3 in 10 to Iowa to fall to 2-2. Cole Tucker had a pair of hits and Will Craig drove in three with a fielder’s choice and a two-run double.

High-A Greensboro took a 4-0 lead into the seventh inning but wound up losing 8-4 to Hickory. Aaron Shackleford had a pair of hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in three. Starting pitcher Michael Burrows was impressive, throwing four hitless innings while striking out eight. He did not walk a batter.

Low-A Bradenton dropped to 1-3 with a 2-1 loss to Fort Myers. Third base prospect Alexander Mojica had two of the Marauders’ five hits and outfield prospect Hudson Head – considered the main piece in the Joe Musgrove trade – collected his first hit of the season.