Tigers at Pirates
Exactly one month ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates were coming off a successful road trip and sitting three games out of first place in the National League Central. Things have since taken a downward spiral for the Pirates, who staggered through their latest road trip and have lost 20 of 28 entering the finale of a two-game set versus the visiting Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.
Pittsburgh went 2-8 on its latest trek and stumbled in its return to PNC Park as the failure to turn a routine double-play grounder led to the deciding run in Tuesday's 5-4 setback. Josh Bell homered and recorded his major league-leading 66th RBI for the Pirates, who fell to 22-8 in interleague play since the start of the 2018 season. Miguel Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos each drove in a run while extending their hitting streaks to four contests as the Tigers snapped a four-game slide and beat Pittsburgh for the first time in three meetings this season. In a bit of an odd coincidence, Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann will oppose fellow right-hander Trevor Williams in a matchup of two pitchers who will be activated off the disabled list Wednesday.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (0-4, 5.93 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (2-1, 3.33)
Zimmermann and the Tigers thought his season might be over when he lasted only three innings at Boston on April 25 in his fourth straight losing start. However, despite fears that he could be facing Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, the injury was diagnosed at a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. “Yeah, it could’ve been a lot worse,” said Zimmermann, who is 1-3 with a 4.76 ERA versus Pittsburgh and has been tormented by Corey Dickerson (8-for-15).
Williams will return to the rotation for the first time since he suffered a strained right side at San Diego on May 16 and said he felt "100 percent" after following a simulated game with a rehab start at Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday. He tossed seven innings of one-run ball at St. Louis in his previous turn to halt a six-start winless drought, which included six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision at Detroit on April 17. Cabrera and Castellanos are a combined 1-for-14 against Williams.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates SS Kevin Newman has hit safely in 10 straight games.
2. Castellanos has reached base in 14 consecutive games.
3. Bell collected his 50th extra-base hit in game No. 72, the fastest player to that mark since since Barry Bonds and Todd Helton in 2001.