Detroit @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( May 28, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 1, Detroit 0
After witnessing the Detroit Tigers’ offense in the series opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates turned to their surprising pitching staff to split on the road. The Pirates, who will host two games against the Tigers starting Wednesday to complete their home-and-home interleague exchange, shut out the majors’ highest-scoring offense for the first time since April 20 in Tuesday’s 1-0, 11-inning win. In doing so, they lowered their team ERA to 3.20 – the second-best mark in the majors.
Another pitchers’ duel could be in the works as Pittsburgh goes for its 15th win in 19 tries when it sends the National League’s strikeout leader in A.J. Burnett to the mound against Anibal Sanchez, who tossed his fourth career one-hitter in his last outing. Detroit has registered a league-high 498 strikeouts and fanned at least 14 batters in each of its first two games against the Pirates. The Tigers have tallied double-digit strikeouts in 28 games this season, already the second-highest total in team history.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (5-4, 2.38 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Pittsburgh Pirates A.J. Burnett (3-5, 2.57)
Sanchez fell two outs shy of a no-hitter during a 12-strikeout gem Friday against the Minnesota Twins. The right-hander settled for a one-hitter in the 6-0 victory, walking three in his first complete game of the season. He has been dominant in five home turns in 2013, going 4-1 with a 1.70 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. Despite holding the Pirates to a .192 average in five career starts, Sanchez is only 2-3 with a 2.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.
Burnett is winless over his last four outings despite allowing three earned runs or fewer in each start. The 36-year-old yielded two runs and three hits over seven frames in Friday’s 2-1 loss to Milwaukee – the fifth straight game Burnett has tossed exactly seven innings. The Pirates’ ace won both of his starts against Detroit last season and owns a 6-2 record with a 5.27 ERA in 10 all-time outings against the Tigers.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Pirates, who ended the Tigers’ 43-game streak of managing at least one extra-base hit Tuesday, have recorded a double, triple or home run in a league-high 47 straight contests.
2. Detroit is 5-17 when scoring four or fewer runs.
3. Pirates 2B Neil Walker has as many extra-base hits over his last five contests (five) as he did through his first 33 games.
PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Pirates 3