Pittsburgh @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2011 ) Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 1
THE STORY: The Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves send promising young righthanders to the mound on Tuesday in the second of a four-game series at Turner Field. Pittsburgh’s Jeff Karstens is second in the league in ERA and Tommy Hanson, who is 13th in that department, provides the opposition. Atlanta has a four-game lead in the wild-card race, while the Pirates are tied atop the National League Central. Atlanta has won two of the three meetings against Pittsburgh this year.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT, SPSO
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jeff Karstens (8-5, 2.28 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tommy Hanson (11-5, 3.06 ERA)
Karstens has been the Pirates most consistent pitcher since joining the starting rotation. He’s won five of six decisions - with the loss coming in his most recent start when he allowed one earned run in seven innings. Over the last three starts, Karstens has given up four runs - two earned - in 23 innings. Karstens will be making his first start against Atlanta. He’s appeared in four games in relief against the Braves and has a 1-2 record with a 4.35 ERA.
Hanson hasn’t pitched well since the All-Star break, although he won his last start against the Colorado Rockies, despite allowing six runs in six innings. He’s given up 11 runs in 11 1/3 innings in his last two starts. At home, Hanson has a 2.85 ERA and limiting the opposition to a .199 batting average. He’s made one career start against the Pirates, a loss from 2010 that saw him allow three runs in six innings.
ABOUT THE PIRATES (52-47): Andrew McCutchen, a leadoff hitter who is batting cleanup, has a team-best 19 RBIs in July. McCutchen has 60 RBIs, tied for 11th in the National League. The Pirates recalled third baseman Pedro Alvarez from Triple-A Indianapolis and put him in the starting lineup. Alvarez hit fifth and went 1-for-3. He replaced outfielder Alex Presley, who went on the disabled list with a contusion on his left hand. Presley had been the team’s leading hitter since being recalled in July; he was batting .333 in 20 games with one homer and nine RBIs.
ABOUT THE BRAVES (59-43): Chipper Jones was 2-for-4 in his return from the disabled list following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Jones has hit in eight straight games and is 11-for-32 with two homers during that stretch. But Jones left the game after hitting a home run in the eighth inning; he appeared to grimace after leaving the batter’s box. Dan Uggla has hit safely in 15 straight games and rookie Freddie Freeman has a nine-game hitting streak for the second time this season.
FINAL PITCH: Pittsburgh outfielder Jose Tabata was shut down for the third time in his effort to rehab strained thigh muscle. There is no date given for his return. Tabata was hitting .265 in 71 games.