Pirates at Padres
The Pittsburgh Pirates are feeling the heat, but are hopeful their ace
is done with his cool spell. A.J. Burnett will try to keep the Pirates
in wild card position when Pittsburgh visits its nemesis, the San Diego
Padres on Tuesday. The Pirates, who lead the Los Angeles Dodgers by
one-half game and the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games in the National
League wild card race, have lost 16 of their last 19 meetings with the
Padres, including Monday's 3-1 setback. And they'll face Jason Marquis,
who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against them before
settling for a two-hitter in a 5-0 victory on Aug. 11.
Burnett was Marquis' opposite number that day and suffered his only loss
in his last six starts and also fell to 1-5 in six lifetime outings
against the Padres. Burnett has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) and 16 hits
in his last two starts covering 12 1/3 innings, but has struck out 17.
The Pirates, who led the NL Central by one game over Cincinnati at the
All-Star break, are 6 1/2 behind the Reds. They are 19-18 since the
break.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Pittsburgh), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (15-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jason Marquis (6-7, 4.08)
Marquis is 5-2 in his last seven starts, but coming off his shortest
outing since joining the Padres on June 7. He allowed six runs and eight
hits - including three homers, two to Chipper Jones - in 4 2/3 innings
in San Diego's 6-0 loss at Atlanta on Thursday. Marquis will be making
his 30th appearance against Pittsburgh and is 13-7 against them. The
Pirates' roster is hitting .235 against him, with Pedro Alvarez 4-for-8
and the only player to homer against Marquis.
Burnett matched a season high with 10 strikeouts in his 10-6 victory
over the Dodgers on Thursday, but yielded six runs and seven hits in 6
2/3 innings. Prior the Padres' game, Burnett ripped off four straight
victories - three on the road - and allowed two or less runs in each
start. He is averaging eight strikeouts in his last four outings. The
Padres' roster is hitting .316 against him, with Carlos Quentin 5-for-12
(homer, five RBIs).
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates LF Jose Tabata went 3-for-5 on Monday and is 5-for-12 in two
games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to replace
Starling Marte, who is on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique
injury.
2. Quentin has been hit by a pitch 15 times, which leads the majors. He has been plunked the past two games.
3. Pittsburgh reliever Kyle McPherson made his major-league debut Monday and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.