Tigers vs. Pirates — 9/8/2021

Detroit Tigers (65-75) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (50-89), Sept. 8, 2021 @ 6:35 p.m.

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh

TV: AT&T Sports Pittsburgh

Radio: 93.7 The Fan

Tigers SB Nation Site: blessyouboys.com

Projected Starters

Tigers: Matt Manning – RHP – (3-6) — 6.29 ERA — 35 total Ks

Pirates: Mitch Keller – RHP – (4-10) – 6.23 ERA – 76 total Ks

Probable Starting Lineups (subject to change)

Tigers

1. Akil Baddoo — CF

2. Jonathan Schoop – 2B

3. Robbie Grossman – LF

4. Miguel Cabrera – 1B

5. Jeimer Candelario – 3B

6. Harold Castro – SS

7. Victor Reyes — RF

8. Dustin Garneau – C

9. Matt Manning — P

Pirates

1. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B

2. Yoshi Tsutsugo — RF

3. Bryan Reynolds – CF

4. Colin Moran – 1B

5. Ben Gamel – LF

6. Jacob Stallings — C

7. Cole Tucker – 2B

8. Kevin Newman – SS

9. Mitch Keller — P

The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to finish off a three-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers when the two teams square off in a 6:35 p.m. start at PNC Park.

Right-hander Mitch Keller will attempt to follow up on perhaps his best outing of the season, which came Thursday against the Cubs in Chicago. Keller pitched six shutout innings, allowing six hits and no walks while striking out eight.

Keller will face right-hander Matt Manning of the Tigers, who brings a 3-6 record with a 6.29 ERA into tonight’s action.

Keller left his last outing with a 3-0 lead, but starter-turned-reliever Chad Kuhl gave up five runs in the seventh, and the Pirates eventually lost 6-5 in 11 innings.

That gave Keller two solid outings in his last three starts; unfortunately, he gave up seven earned runs, six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings in the other start, which came Aug. 25 against the Cardinals.

The Pirates won the opening game of their current interleague series with the Tigers, 6-3, on Labor Day and followed with a 3-2 win Tuesday night.

Following an off-day Thursday, the Bucs will welcome the Washington Nationals to PNC Park for a three-game set, followed by a three-game midweek series with the Reds beginning Tuesday at PNC Park.

At this point, the Pirates have the fourth-worst record in baseball at 50-89, trailing only the Orioles (44-93), Diamondbacks (45-94) and Rangers (50-88).