Game time: 8:10PM ET
Probable starters:
PIT: Jeff "Mr. Nibbles" Locke (3-3, 4.90 ERA)
CWS: John Danks (3-6, 5.29 ERA)
After wrapping up two games in Pittsburgh, the Pirates and White Sox begin the second half of their four-game set in Chicago at 7:10 p.m. CT/8:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday at U.S. Cellular Field.
It'll be a pair of left-handers going at it, as Jeff Locke and the Pirates look to continue their winning ways against John Danks and the White Sox.
The Pirates, who've won six straight, have performed so well mostly because of stellar pitching. After Tuesday's game, Pittsburgh has posted shutouts in three straight games and five of its last six contests.
Locke will look to continue that success. The 27-year-old is 3-3 with a 4.90 ERA on the season, and comes off a scoreless six-inning outing against the Phillies on Friday.
Meanwhile, Danks, 3-6 with a 5.29 ERA, has been mercurial of late. He threw a shutout on May 31 against Houston, but in the two starts since he has surrendered a combined nine earned runs (both losing efforts).
Three things to know for this game
• Francisco Cervelli has been hot recently, reaching base safely in 21 of his last 22 games.
Despite just two home runs to his name (one on Tuesday night), the 29-year-old catcher has a .324 batting average and .404 on-base percentage. Cervelli hit toward the bottom of the order for most of the season, but moved up to fifth in the last two games. Don't be surprised if he stays up that high.
• Josh Harrison and Starling Marte -- Pittsburgh's leadoff and No. 2 hitters, respectively -- have set the tone for the Pirates the past few games. After combining to go 8-for-9 with five runs scored on Monday, the duo followed up that performance with three hits between them on Tuesday. In the last three games, they've combined to go 16-for-28 (.571).
Marte, in particular, has raked. Before Tuesday night's game, the outfielder had four straight games with three or more hits. His batting average in the last five games is an impressive .577 (15-for-26).
• With the designated hitter not being an option at PNC Park, look for Adam LaRoche to get back in the mix on Wednesday. He didn't start Monday or Tuesday, but the left-handed power threat has been wildly successful against the Pirates, his former team. LaRoche, who played for Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2009, owns a .344 batting average with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 41 career games against the Buccos.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/131004728 ... _pk=414637
BEAT 'EM BUCS!!!
fun times!!
