Pirates at Braves
The Atlanta Braves have cranked up the power through their first two contests of a four-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and look to keep the longballs flying entering Wednesday’s matchup. The Braves have hit 10 homers in winning the first two games of the series and belted five in each contest, riding two homers and four RBIs from catcher Brian McCann in Tuesday’s 7-5 victory as Atlanta hit back-to-back blasts twice in the second inning.
Josh Donaldson, Nick Markakis and Ozzie Albies also homered along with McCann’s first longball in the second inning, the first time in franchise history the Braves have recorded multiple back-to-back homers in one frame since the Milwaukee Braves did so in 1965. While the Braves have hit 23 homers while winning eight of their first 10 games in June, the Pirates fell to 6-16 in their past 22 games and have allowed 7.3 runs per game in that span. First baseman Josh Bell drove home two runs, becoming the first player in the majors to reach 60 RBIs on the season and giving him at least one RBI in six of his past eight games for Pittsburgh. Infielder Kevin Newman finished 3-for-4 and has hit safely in 21 of his past 23 starts, batting .292 in that stretch for the Pirates.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Mitch Keller (0-1, 13.50 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Soroka (7-1, 1.38)
Pittsburgh plans to recall Keller from Triple-A Indianapolis and give MLB.com’s 18th-ranked prospect his second major-league start, as the Pirates continue to adjust their pitching plans following Monday’s first-inning ejection of Joe Musgrove. The 23-year-old gave up six runs on seven hits in his big-league debut May 27 at Cincinnati, striking out seven over four innings. Keller has excelled at Triple-A, going 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 11 starts while recording 13 strikeouts - including the first 12 outs of the game - in five innings Friday.
Soroka is fashioning a Cy Young-worthy season through his first 10 starts, leading the National League in hits per nine innings (5.5) while ranking second in ERA and WHIP (0.87), and fifth in WAR for pitchers (2.6). The 21-year-old gave up a season-high three earned runs in a victory against Detroit on June 1, and responded by giving up one run on three hits over eight-plus innings Friday at Miami to win his seventh consecutive decision. Soroka has held opposing hitters to a .172/.250/.220 slash line, a .470 OPS, and overall has surrendered just 14 runs across 65 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Newman recorded a stolen base, giving Pittsburgh 10 consecutive stolen-base attempts dating back to May 12 at St. Louis as the Pirates improved to 27-of-33 on the basepaths this season.
2. The Braves placed struggling RHP Kevin Gausman (right plantar fasciitis) on the injured list Tuesday, recalling LHP A.J. Minter from Triple-A Gwinnett.
3. Markakis is 5-for-7 in the series with two homers, three runs scored and five RBIs.