Pre-game News and Notes: Pirates vs Reds, Septemeber 11

Pitching Matchup:

Charlie Morton 1-11, 9.66 ERA

VS

Edinson Volquez 3-2, 6.17 ERA

Morton will be making his third start for the Pirates since being re-called. He has showed a little improvement his last trip to the mound against the Nationals. Although he was pulled after just 3.2 innings it was mostly because of the defense and the bloop singles. He gave up six runs (2 earned) on eight hits.

“If I can become more effective on the field, it will lead to me pitching better — and I do feel like I’m close,” Morton said. “My first start back showed me it’s not as easy as you want it to be. If anything, what I’ve learned this year is it’s not going to make sense just because I want it to make sense. It’s not going to be easy just because I want it to be. I do feel that I know now that my outlook toward overcoming difficulty and failure is up to me.”

Volquez’s last start was on August 23rd against the Giants and it was not pretty. He lasted just 2/3 of an inning, gave up five runs on five hits and walked three. He started for Class-A Dayton on Monday, throwing six innings with three runs (two earned), three walks and 10 strikeouts.   

 

Pirates Lineup:

McCutchen CF

Tabata LF

Walker 2B

Jones 1B

Alvarez 3B

Doumit RF

Cedeno SS

Snyder C

Morton P

Reds Linuep:

Phillips 2B

Cabrera SS

Votto 1B

Rolen 3B

Gomes LF

Hernandez C

Stubbs CF

Cairo RF

Volquez P

 

 

News and Notes:

• Neil Walker extended his hitting streak to 16 games when he singled in the ninth inning of Friday night’s game. The hit came in the ninth inning rally by the young bucs as well on his 25th birthday.
• According to Rob Biertempfel, MLB Beat writer; Pirates mgr John Russell: “I see no reason why Ronny Cedeno shouldn’t be our shortstop (in 2011).”
• Outfielder Chris Heisey was a late scratch from the starting lineup today.