clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Series preview: Braves take on Buccos in three-game set

The Buccos battle the Braves.

By Jeremy_Brener
Pittsburgh Pirates v Atlanta Braves Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Atlanta Braves (41-42) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (30-53), July 5-7, 2021

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T Sports Pittsburgh

Radio: KDKA-AM

Braves SB Nation Site: Talking Chop

After a rough series back in May, the Pirates look to settle the score in the friendly confines of PNC Park against the Braves.

Here’s a look at what we can expect this week:

Projected Starters

Monday, 7:05 p.m. EST

Max Fried (5-4, 4.16 ERA) vs. Chase De Jong (0-3, 5.65 ERA)

Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. EST

Ian Anderson (5-4, 3.35 ERA) vs. Chad Kuhl (2-5, 5.16 ERA)

Wednesday, 12:35 p.m. EST

Drew Smyly (6-3, 4.42 ERA) vs. Wil Crowe (1-5, 6.26 ERA)

Projected Lineups

Braves

  1. Ronald Acuna Jr. (RF)
  2. Freddie Freeman (1B)
  3. Ozzie Albies (2B)
  4. Austin Riley (3B)
  5. Dansby Swanson (SS)
  6. Guillermo Heredia (CF)
  7. Abraham Almonte (LF)
  8. William Contreras (C)
  9. Starting Pitcher

Pirates

  1. Adam Frazier (2B)
  2. Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B)
  3. Bryan Reynolds (CF)
  4. Jacob Stallings (C)
  5. Ben Gamel (LF)
  6. Kevin Newman (SS)
  7. Phillip Evans (1B)
  8. Jared Oliva (RF)
  9. Starting Pitcher

The Pirates offense has been ice cold this week, failing to score more than two runs in a game since last Sunday against the Cardinals. The lack of offense led to just one win in seven games against the Rockies and Brewers.

The job doesn’t get any easier this week with the Braves in town. Max Fried and Ian Anderson pose problems for the Pittsburgh offense.

The Pirates have been virtually inept from the four hitter down in the lineup with Gregory Polanco and Colin Moran nursing injuries.

Lucky for the Buccos, it just takes one game for the offense to revive itself and that could happen on any given day. However, they’ll have to put up plenty of runs against the Braves, a team that put up 20 runs in one game last Wednesday against the Mets and also put up 20 runs in a game in their previous series in Atlanta back in May.

The Pirates would be happy to win one game this series and two wins would be an upset. Let’s hope the momentum from Sunday builds and the team gets back in rhythm.

More From Bucs Dugout