Pirates at White Sox
The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken advantage of some struggling American League opponents early in the season and they'll get a chance to pick on another one when they visit the last-place Chicago White Sox for the opener of a two-game Interleague set Tuesday night. The Pirates own six Interleague wins - three more than any other team in the majors - after early-season encounters with the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.
They enter this next chapter on a good note after taking two of three in Milwaukee over the weekend, capped by Sunday's resounding 9-0 win behind a combined two-hitter and a 13-hit attack. "We had it all going today, everything," shortstop Jordy Mercer - who had three hits and two RBIs - told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It was really cool to see. That might be one of the most complete games we've played this year, all the way through, and shows you what kind of talent we have, shows you what we're capable of, and just got to continue to be consistent that way." The White Sox have some of that talent, but wins have been hard to come by and they've dropped seven of eight. The latest setback was tough to swallow after starter James Shields took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before the Twins rallied in the final three frames for a 5-3 win Sunday afternoon.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (2-2, 4.01 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (1-4, 7.03)
Nova finished April with eight scoreless innings against Detroit before heading to Washington on Wednesday and giving up eight runs (five earned) over 4 2/3 innings of a loss to the Nationals. He went four straight starts - all of the quality variety - without allowing a walk before issuing two free passes in the loss. The 31-year-old is 4-1 with a 2.42 ERA in seven career starts against the White Sox.
Giolito shares the AL lead in walks issued with 23 entering Monday, although he's handed out just two in each of his last two starts. He struck out a season-high seven and allowed three runs and four hits across 6 1/3 innings of a tough loss at St. Louis on Wednesday. That outing left the former first-round selection - who is facing Pittsburgh for the first time - with an 0-2 record and a 4.63 ERA in two Interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates LF Corey Dickerson has three homers and nine RBIs over his last seven games.
2. Chicago is 3-14 against opponents outside of its division.
3. The Pirates swept four games from the White Sox when they last played in 2015.