Pirates at Phillies
Just as Gerrit Cole was starting to resemble the top-of-the-rotation starter needed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, he turned in another head-scratching clunker. Cole will attempt to get back on track against the worst team in the majors when the visiting Pirates play the third of a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.
Former MVP Andrew McCutchen was batting .200 in late May but he was named the National League Player of the Month in June and clubbed a pair of homers in Pittsburgh's 3-0 victory on Tuesday. "I love it, I think about it all day," McCutchen told reporters. "You go through these stretches, but for me, I'm just trying to remain consistent with where I'm at." Philadelphia was denied its first three-game winning streak in a month, stranding 11 on base and going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Rookie right-hander Ben Lively vies for his second win as he makes his seventh career start for the Phillies.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Pittsburgh, CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (6-7, 4.51 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Ben Lively (1-3, 3.72)
Cole's three-start winning streak ended with a thud when he was rocked for seven runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings by the San Francisco Giants in his last outing. It marked the fourth time in eight starts that Cole allowed double-digit hits and came after he permitted one run in three consecutive turns. Maikel Franco is 3-for-6 and Freddy Galvis 3-for-9 with a homer against Cole.
Lively is winless since earning the victory in his major league debut on June 3, but he has registered five of six quality starts since his promotion. He took the loss last time out at the New York Mets despite giving up two runs over 6 1/3 innings to fall to 0-3 over his last five turns. He will be pitching for only the third time at Citizens Bank Park, where he is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. McCutchen is 15-for-31 over his last nine games.
2. Phillies 1B Tommy Joseph is 1-for-16 in eight games versus Pittsburgh this season.
3. Pirates 2B Josh Harrison is 0-for-14 in four games in July.