Pre-Game Notes: Pirates vs Mets 9/14

Notes:

• Outfielder Starling Marte will start the 2011 season with Double-A Altoona. Marte missed part of the 2010 season with a broken hamate.
• Catcher Tony Sanchez will also start the 2011 season with Double-A Altoona if he hasn’t regressed during his recovery from his broken jaw. Sanchez will also play in the Arizona Fall League.
• The Pirates have thrown out/picked off six of the last seven opposing baserunners.
• The Pirates starting pitchers have posted a 2.55 ERA in the last seven games –a recorded quality start in six of those starts–
• Pittsburgh as well as all the other MLB teams will annouce its 2011 schedule on Wednesday.
• David Wright needs just two-RBI to tie Mike Piazza for second place on the Mets’ club all-time list with 655. (Darryl Strawberry is first with 733 RBI.)
• The Mets are 11-11 at home since the All-Star break.

 

 

Pitching Matchup:

Zach Duke (7-13, 5.47 ERA) LHP

vs.

R.A. Dickey (10-6, 2.91 ERA) RHP

Duke has won two of his last three decisions (one of those wins came from beating the mets on 9/3). His last start was pretty brutal though. Zach lasted just 1.0 inning –the shortest of his career– and gave up four runs on six hits and walked two. Duke is 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA in seven starts against the Mets.

Dickey won his career high 10th game of the season on 9/8 against the Nationals. He went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Dickey has only faced the Pirates in relief. He is 6-1 with a 1.85 ERA in eight starts at Citi Field this season.

 

Pirates Lineup:

McCutchen 8

Tabata 7

Walker 4

Jones 3

Alvarez 5

Doumit 9

Cedeno 6

Snyder 2

Duke 1

 

Mets Lineup:

Reyes 6

Pagan 9

Beltran 8

Wright 5

David 3

Evans 7

Blanco 2

Tejada 4

Dickey 1