Hurdle to announce Game 2 starter
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is keeping mum on what pitcher will start Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
One of two right-handers, rookie Gerrit Cole or Charlie Morton, will get the call on Friday against the Cardinals and right-hander Lance Lynn at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Hurdle said Wednesday he will announce his choice sometime today when the Pirates play the Cardinals in Game 1 of the best-of-five series.
Cole was 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA in 19 regular-season starts while Morton went 7-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 20 starts. Cole, though, had an outstanding September, going 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five starts.
While Lynn (15-10, 3.97) will start Game 2, manager Mike Matheny is considering two rookie right-handers for Game 3 on Sunday at PNC Park: Shelby Miller (15-9, 3.06) and Michael Wacha (4-1, 2.78).
Matheny said both Miller and Wacha would be available to pitch in relief today in Game 1, which could impact their availability for Sunday.
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The Cardinals are considered to have one of the best and most knowledgeable fan bases in baseball. However, is it hard to imagine the Busch Stadium crowd being as boisterous as the PNC Park crowd was Tuesday night during the Pirates’ 6-2 win over Cincinnati in the NL Wild Card game.
Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto became so distracted by the crowd chanting his name that he dropped the ball while looking in for the sign from catcher Ryan Hanigan in the second inning then gave up a home run to Pirates catcher Russell Martin on the next pitch.
A.J. Burnett, today’s starter for the Pirates, isn’t concerned about getting rattled.
“I don’t think I’ll drop the ball,” Burnett said, “but I’ve had crowds get on me, really loud ones, so I’ll be ready for anything.”
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Matheny isn’t surprised the Cardinals are squaring off with the Pirates in the postseason. He expected it might happen when St. Louis won the NL Central title, finishing 97-65 and three games ahead of the Pirates.
“We realize they’re a good club,” Matheny said. “They’ve been playing well and continue to be very highly motivated. I think we focus more on ourselves and we believe that we’re a very good club also and highly motivated to go out and continue what we’ve started.”
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With his two home runs Tuesday night, Martin became the first catcher to homer for three different franchises in the postseason as he also connected for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008 and the New York Yankees in 2012.
Also Tuesday, center fielder Andrew McCutchen became the first Pirates player ever to reach base safely in each of his first four postseason plate appearances in the postseason as he had two singles and two walks.