PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:.landed at 1:34 a.m. following the conclusion of their three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field…Have gone 14-8 since 8/28, which is tied for the second-best record in MLB along with the Padres, Rays and Blue Jays (the Yankees are a Major-League best 15-8 in that time)…Won five straight games from 8/28 to 9/2, their third-longest winning streak of the season (the team won a season-high seven straight games from 4/17-23)…Have gone 31-27 in their last 58 games since losing each of their first five games following the All-Star break.
TAKING THE HIGH ROAD: The Pirates are 8-4 in their last 12 games on the road after beating the Cubs 8-6 last night to earn a series win…Since the stretch began on August 28, Pittsburgh swept a three-game series against the Royals, took two of three games against the Cardinals from September 1-3 and beat the Cubs twice in three games in their just completed series…Pittsburgh’s only series loss on the road since August 28 came earlier this month after dropping two of three in Atlanta from September 8-10.
PINCH ME: Joshua Palacios’ three-run, pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning last night was his second of the season and of this month (he also hit one on September 2 against St. Louis)…Palacios ranks first in the National League and second in MLB with eight pinch hit RBI this season (Tampa Bay’s Harold Ramirez leads with nine)…Palacios is also tied for the National League lead with eight pinch hits along with Los Angeles’ David Peralta and San Francisco’s Austin Slater.
HE’S BEEN GREAT LATE WHEREVER HE PLAYS: Joshua Palacios began this season with Double-A Altoona after the Pirates selected him this past winter during the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft…During his time with Altoona he went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI from the ninth inning on…At Triple-A Indianapolis from the ninth inning on, Palacios went 5-for-8 with two home runs, five RBI and a walkoff home run on July 26…Palacios is 10-for-31 with two doubles, three home runs and nine RBI from the ninth inning on with the Pirates, which was highlighted by his walkoff home run on his birthday July 30.
GETTING ON: Bryan Reynolds bring a season-high 20-game on-base streak into today, which is tied for the longest by a Pirate this season (Andrew McCutchen did it twice)…It’s the fourth-longest active on-base streak in MLB behind Yordan Alvarez (27 games), Juan Soto (24 games) and Nolan Schanuel (24 games)…During the 20-game stretch that began on August 29, Reynolds has gone 23-for-77 (.299) with three doubles, one triple, four home runs, 14 RBI and an .894 OPS.
REYNOLDS VS. THE REDS: Bryan Reynolds has hit 12 career home runs against the Reds, which are his most vs. any opponent… Since the beginning of 2019, that’s tied for the fifth-most homers against Cincinnati behind Ian Happ (19), Paul Goldschmidt (14), Willy Adames (13) and Christian Yelich (13).
THE HOT CORNER: Ke’Bryan Hayes has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games, going 23-for-66 (.348) with seven doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBI…Since the 16-game stretch began on September 3, Hayes’ .348 average ranks sixth in the National League among players with at least 60 at-bats…Hayes also ranks third among all National League third basemen with 212 total bases behind Austin Riley (309) and Nolan Arenado (238).
BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: This is Pittsburgh’s first trip back to Great American Ball Park since the season-opening series from March 30 to April 2…The Pirates have won five of their last seven games against Cincinnati since losing two of three in the season-opening series at Great American Ball Park…The Pirates pitching staff has posted a 2.81 ERA (64.0ip/20er) in their last seven games against the Reds.
SOUTHPAW SIGHTING: Tonight will be the 51st time this season the Pirates are opposed by a starting lefty (the Bucs are 24-26 in games started by opposing lefties)…Since the All-Star break, Liover Peguero is hitting at a .345 clip (19-for-55) against lefties, which ranks eighth in the NL.
PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF: Miguel Andujar has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 11-for-25 (.440) with three doubles, a home run and seven RBI…Andujar, who was promoted back to the big leagues on September 1, hit .338 with a .940 OPS this season at Triple-A Indianapolis (his .338 average ranks third in the International League coming into today while his .940 OPS ranks sixth).
THIS AND THAT: The Pirates have won 12 of their last 14 games when scoring at least four runs…Pittsburgh has won 11 of its last 14 games when the team does not make an error…The Pirates are 37-27 in one or two run games…The Pirates have won each of their last 12 games when their starter works at least 6.0 innings…The Bucs are 11-for-27 (.407) with runners in scoring position in the last two games…Pittsburgh opened its series against the Cubs with a 14-1 loss (tied for their largest margin of defeat this year) before bouncing back to score 21 runs in their last two games.
STARTING PITCHER – 41 – RHP ANDRE JACKSON
ANDRE JACKSON: The 27-year-old righthander will make his 10th appearance (sixth start) with the Pirates after being promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on 8/4…He was acquired by the Pirates from the Los Angeles Dodgers on 6/25 for cash considerations.
VS. CINCINNATI: 0-0 in one career start…He made the first start of his big league career and had a no-decision (3.2ip/3er) in game two of the 8/13 doubleheader at PNC Park.
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 1 of a 3-game series vs Danny Hart’s Pirates and Game 4 (1-2) of a 7-day, 6-game homestand that included a 2-1 series loss to the Twins and yesterday’s day off. Following this series, the Reds will finish the season with a 5-game road trip to Cle’s Progressive Field (2g) and StL’s Busch Stadium (off day, 3g).
SERIES NOTES
- The Reds are 4-6 vs Pit this season. Beginning in 2021 at Great American Ball Park, the Reds are 14-8 vs Pit with a 134-78 advantage in runs scored…the Reds have won 19 of the last 28 games vs Pit at GABP.
ROTATION
- Rookie pitchers have made 55 starts for the Reds, including 13 of the Reds’ 19 games in September (below)…rookie pitchers are projected to
start 19 of the Reds’ 27 games in September/October. LHP Brandon Williamson (21gs), who began the season at Class AAA Louisville, is 0-1, 9.00 in 2 starts in September. LHP Andrew Abbott (19gs), who began the season at Class AA Chattanooga, is 0-1, 5.79 in 3 starts in September. RHP Connor Phillips (3gs), who began the season at Class AA Chattanooga, is 1-0, 5.74 in 3 starts in September. RHP Lyon Richardson (4gs), who began the season at Class A Daytona, went 0-1, 8.68 in 2 starts in September. RHP Carson Spiers (2gs), who began the season at Class AA Chattanooga, went 0-1, 9.00 in 2 starts and 1 relief appearance in September. RHP Fernando Cruz (2gs), who last year at age 33 made his Major League debut with 14 apps, started Tue’s 7-0 loss vs Min. Richardson, Abbott, Spiers, Williamson and Phillips made their Major League debuts this season, along with fellow starter RHP Levi Stoudt (2gs), who began the season at Class AAA Louisville.
ROSTER NOTES
- 65 players have appeared in at least 1 game for the Reds, the most of any team in the Major Leagues this season and 1 player shy of the single-season club record established in 2022. 40 pitchers, including position players C Luke Maile (4 times) and IF Jason Vosler (twice), have appeared in at least 1 game for the Reds, a new single-season club record (38 pitchers, 2022). 17 pitchers have started at least 1 game for the Reds, tying the singleseason club record (2003, 2022)…17 starters tie the Dodgers for most in the National League…the Athletics lead the Major Leagues with 24 starters. The Reds have 9 rookies on today’s roster. RHP Fernando Cruz, IF Elly De La Cruz, IF Christian EncarnacionStrand, IF Noelvi Marte, IF/OF Spencer Steer, LHP Andrew Abbott, RHP Daniel Duarte, RHP Connor Phillips and LHP Brandon Williamson. Had a season-high 12 rookies on the 27-player roster for the 8/23 day/night doubleheader at LAA. 16 Reds players made their Major League debuts this season, the most of any team in the majors…listed below in the order in which they debuted: RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand, RHP Lyon Richardson, IF Noelvi Marte, RHP Carson Spiers, RHP Connor Phillips. 23 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds, the most of any team in the Major Leagues and tied for fourth-most in club history (26 in 1909, 25 in 2016, 24 in 1914 & 2017, 23 in 2022)…courtesy @EliasSports.
LET THE KIDS PLAY
- Reds rookies have produced 59 HR, 210 RBI and 69 stolen bases…are the most HR and RBI by any Major League team’s rookies and second-most stolen bases total by any team’s rookies (Oak 82sb, KC 68sb)… courtesy @EliasSports. Have established a single-season club record for HR by rookies…have recorded the second-most RBI (260 in 1935) and second-most stolen bases (74sb in 1982) in a season by Reds rookies…courtesy @EliasSports. With 59 HR the Reds have established a new franchise record for home runs in a season by rookies (Spencer Steer 22, Matt McLain 16, Elly De La Cruz 11, Christian Encarnacion-Strand 9, Noelvi Marte 1)…the 2008 team recorded 54 home runs by rookies (Joey Votto 24, Jay Bruce 21, Chris Dickerson 6, Ryan Hanigan 2, Paul Janish 1). The Reds are the first team in Major League history with 3 rookies, in a single season, with at least 10 HR & 10 stolen bases each (Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer). For the first time since 1890, when Cincinnati joined the National League, 3 Reds rookies have produced at least 10 HR… Christian Encarnacion-Strand has 9 HR…courtesy @EliasSports. On 8/22 at LAA, in his 64th career game, Elly De La Cruz recorded his 20th stolen base to become the fastest player since 1900 to accumulate at least 10 HR and at least 20 steals…Barry Bonds did it in his 65th career appearance, just ahead of Reds rookies Chris Sabo (66g) and Gary Redus (67g)…courtesy @EliasSports. Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer on 7/4 at Wsh became the first set of rookie teammates in Major League history to finish in the same game 4-for-4 with at least 1 RBI (since RBI became an official statistic in 1920)…courtesy @EliasSports. IF Matt McLain (5/22-5/28) and IF Elly De La Cruz (6/19-6/25) each earned National League Player of the Week awards, McLain in the second week of his career and De La Cruz in his third week.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP
- Tonight is making his 20th Major League appearance and start, his second career appearance vs the Pirates. In Sat’s 3-2 win at NYM was caught by Tyler Stephenson for the first time this season…Luke Maile, who was hit by a pitch on the back of his left hand on Friday, started behind the plate for Abbot’s first 18 starts. Didn’t debut until 6/5 but still ranks among the National League’s rookie leaders in ERA (4th), wins (3rd), strikeouts (2nd), starts (T6th), innings pitched (6th), batting average against (4th, .231) and WHIP (5th, 1.27). In his 4-3 win on 7/2 vs SD recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, tied with Nick Lodolo (4/8 at Phi) for second-most by a Reds pitcher this season…Hunter Greene recorded a team-high 14 strikeouts on Wed vs Min. Began his career with 17.2 scoreless innings, a new club record since 1893, until Col’s Brenton Doyle hit a leadoff HR in Abbott’s fourth start…the previous team record was held by Wayne Simpson, who in 1970 began his Major League career with 15.0 scoreless innings…@EliasSports. Since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, is the only Major League pitcher to begin his career with 3 consecutive scoreless starts of at least 5.0 innings…@EliasSports. Abbott’s 16.0-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the second inning of the 6-5 win on 7/31 at Cubs…when snapped was tied for the longest active streak in the Major Leagues.
