Monday: Bucs at Bravos, Cole Train v Mike Foltynewicz, Lineup, Notes

Tonight: The Bucs open the series at 7:35 in Atlanta’s Sun Trust Park. The game will be on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan. That depends a lot on the weather gods. As of this afternoon, Atlanta has an 80-90% chance of thunderstorms for the next three days and 50% chance of showers for Thursday’s getaway game. Springtime in Georgia…

Lineup: Adam Frazier LF, Josh Harrison 2B, Cutch CF, Josh Bell 1B, David Freese 3B, John Jaso RF, Fran Cervelli C, Jordy Mercer SS & Gerrit Cole P.  In Gregory’s absence, this is the new normal lineup.

Pitchers: Gerrit Cole (2-4, 2.84) opens the four-game set against Mike Foltynewicz (2-4, 4.10). Gerrit finally got a couple of runs from his mateys last outing to claim the win and record withstanding, he’s in the middle of a fierce streak of pitching. He’s posted a 1.98 ERA over his last seven starts. Cole Train has been tough on the Braves. He’s 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five career starts, and the Bucs are 5-0 in his outings v Atlanta. Cole faced them last in 2016, getting a no decision in a 6-5 Bucco win. Foltynewicz had a pair of rough starts to open the campaign, but since then has settled down to toss five decent outings in his last six appearances. The Bucs chased him in the fourth back in early April in a 5-4 win. The 25-year-old righty hasn’t had much luck against the Pirates – he’s 0-3/9.00 in three lifetime starts and lasted just 12 IP.

Notes:

• Smokin’: Fraze has multiple hits in each of his last six starts, going 15-for-28 (.536) with two doubles, seven RBI and six runs scored.
• The Bucs swept a three-game series from the Braves at PNC Park in early April and have gone 15-6 in their last 21 meetings against Atlanta.
• More deep stats: Yesterday’s victory was the first time the Bucs won a game 1-0 on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch since May 31st, 1915, against the Cubs per Elias Sports. Wilbur Cooper beat Jimmy Lavender at Forbes Field that day in front of 15,000. It was the first game of a twin bill; the Pirates took the second game 1-0 with that run scoring on a wild pitch – and it was Hinchman who scampered home to win that contest.
• For those wondering about the projections of Pirates prospects who are on or spent time with the big team, John Sickels of Minor League Ball has an index of all the league’s pups to scroll through.

• Hey, Indy – both International League Players of the Week are Pirate pups. The Hitter OTW is Jason Rogers, who batted .400 w/2 HR and 11 RBI (.291, 6 HR, 22 RBI/season) and the Pitcher OTW is Steven Brault who went 1-0/0.69 w/10 K in 13 IP (2-3, 2.54, 45 K in 49-2/3 IP – season). It’s the first time the Tribe has had both weekly awardees since it joined the IL in 1998. 
• Altoona OF Connor Joe made Jonathan Mayo’s MLB.com Prospects of the Week list.