Pittsburgh-Chicago Round Three, Big Joe v Chatwood, Lineup & Notes

Today: The game is scheduled for a 7:05 start and will be aired by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7The Fan. It’s a Zambelli Fireworks Night *yay*. And get to the game early, leprechauns and colleens – there’s an Irish Fest Block Party on Federal Street, featuring live music by County Mayo and free autographs from Big Daddy Rick Reuschel.

Pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (4-7, 3.49) goes against RHP Tyler Chatwood (4-5, 5.06). If it weren’t for bad luck, Big Joe would have no luck at all. He was shut out twice in two games in which he allowed three runs and then suffered through a loss featuring a batch of infield hits and soft flares. J-Grove has seen the Cubbies twice. He’s 1-0 in one start this year, allowing one run in seven innings  to take a 2-1 decision.  He also lost a 2-0 match (two runs in six frames) while pitching for the Astros last season. Lefty Mike Montgomery was supposed to start tonight, but landed on the DL with shoulder inflammation, so Chatwood got the call after being bumped from the rotation by Cole Hamels. He was sent to the pen to work on mechanic issues, the biggest being finding the strike zone – he’s walked 90 guys in 99-2/3 IP. He started once against Pittsburgh in April, giving up five runs on nine hits in five innings. But it wasn’t through Bucco discipline – it was the only one of his 19 starts that he didn’t walk multiple hitters, and he fanned seven. He also put up a zero in an inning of mop-up duty during the last Cub set, giving up (what else?) a walk.

Lineup: Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Fran Cervelli C, J-Bell 1B, Adam Frazier 2B, Colin Moran 3B, Adeiny Hechavarria SS & Musgrove P. After being shutout for 23 straight innings, we guess Clint figures that this lineup is due (with one change; Fraze for J-Hay at 2B). Chatwood is the wildest of wild children; hopefully the Bucs will show some semblance of discipline at the dish tonight.

Notes:

• My kingdom for a bat: In the last six games, the starting pitchers have posted a 2.87 ERA but the team has gone just 1-5 in that time. 
• That hurts: Corey Dickerson was hitting .318 when he went on the DL on 7/25, but has gone 9-for-48 (.188) in 13 games since coming off it. He faded in the second half at Tampa last year, so that trend needs some watching.
• Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects: The Pirates have never been shutout three times in a row by the Cubs in 132 seasons of being in the same league. They have lost 1-0 twice in a row (to the Cubs) once before, back on July 4th, 1906 in a doubleheader in Pittsburgh. Hidden vigorish is in play tonight!