PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:..Were rained out yesterday..Went 6-1 on their homestand against the Reds (4-0) and Dodgers (2-1)…Won seven straight games from 4/17-23, their longest winning streak since 2018 (11 games)…Have not lost back-to-back games since dropping the final two contests of their season-opening series in Cincinnati…Their 18-8 record is their best start since the 1992 team had a 19-7 record after the first 26 games.
ROSTER MOVES: Prior to today’s game the Pirates selected the contract of outfielder Miguel Andujar from Triple-A Indianapolis…Infielder Drew Maggi has been optioned to Double-A Altoona…To make room for Andujar on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Wil Crowe has been transferred from the 15- to 60-day injured list…Additionally, Maggi has been appointed as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader and will be active for both games…Andujar will wear uniform No. 26.
A PROMOTION IS IN ORDER: Since April 14, Miguel Andujar ranks sixth among all International League hitters in OPS (1.208), tied for seventh in batting (.368), ninth in slugging (.727), seventh in total bases (32) and tied for fourth in extra base hits (eight)…Andujar is also tied for the second-most doubles (eight) for the season in the International League.
THE FEEL-GOOD STORY OF BASEBALL: The Pirates come into today with the best record in the National League (18-8) and second-best in all of MLB behind the Tampa Bay Rays (22-5)…Pittsburgh is off to its best start since the 1992 team went 19-7 to begin the season…The Pirates are also 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2015 season when the team had the second-best record (98-64) in all of Major League Baseball.
MONTHLY REPORT: The Pirates have won 18 games before the beginning of May for the first time in team history…Prior to this year, the last time the Pirates won at least 18 games in one month came in August of 2015 (19-8).
TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN: Thursday’s game time of 2 hours and 8 minutes was the shortest of the year for the Pirates, besting the previous time of 2 hours and 9 minutes on April 20 against the Reds…It’s the first time in a season the Pirates have played two nine-inning games in 2 hours and 9 minutes or less since 2010 (2:08 on April 14 at San Francisco and 2:06 on April 23 at Houston).
COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH: Pittsburgh is hitting .303 (66-for-218) with runners in scoring position, which ranks fifth in all of MLB…On the flip side, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has limited opponents to a .221 batting average against (51-for-231) with runners in scoring position, which is the fifth-lowest in Major League Baseball (second-lowest in the NL).
CLEARING THE DECK: Pittsburgh has hit 30 home runs this season, which are the third-most in team history for March/ April…The only other times the Pirates hit more home runs prior to May came in 1996 (33) and 2006 (32)…Pittsburgh has won eight of its last nine games when going deep at least once in a game.
RICH ON THE HILL: Rich Hill will get the start today in game one of today’s doubleheader…Hill has won each of his last two starts while posting a 1.59 ERA (17.0ip/3er) in his last three outings since allowing a combined 10 runs in 9.0 innings in his first two starts.
I AM IN-VINCE-IBLE: Vince Velasquez has allowed a total of three runs in 19.0 innings while winning each of his last three starts…Velasquez comes into today with an active scoreless streak of 12.0 innings, which is the fourth-longest in the National League behind Zac Gallen (28.0ip), Max Fried (18.0ip) and Spencer Strider (16.0ip).
LET’S PLAY TWO: This is Pittsburgh’s first doubleheader at Nationals Park since earning a split on July 2, 2011…The last time the Pirates swept the Expos/Nationals on the road came on June 25, 1982…Pittsburgh has never been swept on the road in a doubleheader against the Expos/Nationals.
WINNING STARTS HERE: Pittsburgh’s starting rotation comes into today with the fourth-lowest ERA (3.65) among all National League teams…Since April 11, Pittsburgh’s starting rotation has produced a Major League-leading 2.23 ERA (97.0ip/24er) while holding opposing hitters to a .214 batting average against.
REYNOLDS ON A ROLL: Bryan Reynolds’ 20 RBI are tied for the seventh-most in March/April in Pirates history…He also comes into today tied for seventh in the National League in RBI.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – 44 – LHP RICH HILL
RICH HILL: The 43-year-old lefthander is making his sixth start this afternoon…Won a 2-1 decision (5.0ip/1r/0er) in his last start Saturday night against the Reds.
vs. WASHINGTON: 2-4 with a 4.07 ERA (48.2ip/22er) in 11 career appearances (nine starts)…Hasn’t faced Washington since doing so here at National Park on 9/3/21 when he worked 6.0 scoreless innings but had a no-decision in a 6-2, 10-inning win by the Mets.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No release available.
