Reds at Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates opened September the way they closed August -- with a loss. The Pirates, who are losers of four in a row and 14 of their last 19 to stumble out of the race in the National League Central, will try to end the current slide when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.
Pittsburgh was outscored 34-8 in its last four games and watched ace Gerrit Cole get knocked around in Friday's 7-3 setback. The Pirates are 11 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago in the Central but will still have a say in how the division shakes out with 16 games remaining against the Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds, who sit in last place in the Central, are trying to play spoiler as well and are 16-14 since the start of August as Joey Votto makes his case for some down-ballot MVP support and a series of young pitchers try to establish themselves in the majors. One of those young arms will get another chance to impress the front office on Saturday, when Tyler Mahle gets a turn opposite Pittsburgh righty Jameson Taillon.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.75)
Mahle made his major league debut against Pittsburgh on Sunday and took the loss while allowing three runs on four hits and four walks in five innings. The 22-year-old struck out five and generated nine groundballs. Mahle was 10-7 with a 2.06 ERA in 24 starts across two minor league levels before getting called up.
Taillon surrendered only one earned run while going up against Mahle on Sunday but issued four walks and lasted only four innings without factoring in the decision. The 25-year-old failed to complete six innings in any of his last three outings while issuing a total of 12 walks in 14 frames. Taillon is making his fifth start of the season against Cincinnati and went 0-2 with an 8.20 ERA in the first four.
WALK-OFFS
1. Former Pirates RHP Juan Nicasio was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies.
2. Cincinnati 2B Scooter Gennett is 8-for-20 with a home run, six RBIs and seven runs scored in his last five games.
3. Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte is 6-for-41 with 10 strikeouts in his last 10 games.