Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Detroit Tigers Game 76 Preview

After a travel day Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action tonight as they take on the Tigers in interleague action at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Bucs at 5-4 are one game over .500 against the American League this season.

More from Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh and Detroit are meeting for the second time this summer. Clint Hurdle’s squad dropped two of three to the Motor City Bunch on April 13-15 at PNC Park. The crew of the Jolly Roger has gone 20-21 overall against the Tigers in interleague action. The breakdown has the Pirates at 6-13 on the road and 15-10 at home against Detroit.

The Pirates at 42-33 are in second place in the National League Central Division. They are nine games back of the first place St. Louis Cardinals (51-27). The Cards are home tonight against the Chicago White Sox.

Tonight’s match-up sees Gerrit Cole taking the hill for the Bucs. Hurdle had this to say on the team’s web site about Cole, “He has incrementally gotten better as each season has gone along. And the one thing he has shown this year is that when he’s challenged, his first reaction hasn’t been to be faster or quicker — not with his pitches, but with his mentality.”

The Tigers are 39-36 and coming off a 5-4 victory Sunday to the Chicago White Sox. Detroit is 5-5 in their last 10 contests and are enjoying a two-game winning streak. They are in third place in the American League Central, six games behind the first place Kansas City Royals. They stand at exactly .500 in interleague play with a 7-7 record this season.

Detroit is first in the Majors with a .275 team batting average and is 13th overall with 309 RBI. Their pitching staff has put together a team ERA OF 4.05 and a WHIP OF 1.28. They are tied with the Houston Astros for fifth in the American League in turning double plays with 72.

When: Tuesday, June 30

First Pitch: 7:08 p.m. ET

Site: Comerica Park

Playing Surface: Kentucky Bluegrass

Television Coverage: ROOT Sports Network

Radio Coverage: KDKA-FM 93.7 – The Fan

Announcers: Greg Brown, Tim Neverett, Bob Walk, Steve Blass, and John Wehner

Live (Pay) Streaming: MLB.TV

Pittsburgh Pirates /

Pittsburgh Pirates

Online Highlights: Pirates Video

Sirius XM Satellite Radio: XM Internet 861

All-Star Vote: 2015 Pirates Ballot

Odds: Pirates -1.5 According to OddsShark.com with the Over/Under at 7.5. The total has gone over in five of Pittsburgh’s last seven contests, and it has also gone over in five of Detroit’s last five match-ups.

Weather Forecast: According to the Weather Channel, Tuesday’s forecast is calling for scattered thunderstorms early this evening with a low of 59. The winds will be light and variable. The chance of rain is 60%.

Starting Pitchers: Chicago manager Brad Ausmus will give the ball to 32-year-old Justin Verlander (0-1, 6.17 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP). The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander went on the disabled list for the first time in his career Wednesday, April 8 because of a strained right triceps. In his second start, the Nanakin-Sabot, Virginia native gave up six runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 7-2 loss Friday, June 19 to the New York Yankees.

The Bucs will counter with 24-year-old Gerrit Cole (11-3, 2.16 ERA/1.13 WHIP). The 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander will make his 16th start of the season. He is 6-1 with a 2.81 ERA in eight career interleague starts. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET, and it will be broadcast on ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.

In the second matchup Wednesday, the Motown Tabbies will send 34-year-old Alfredo Simon to the hill. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound righthander owns a record of 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Pirates will start 38-year-old righthander A.J. Burnett (6-3, 2.01 ERA/1.24 WHIP). The first pitch is set for 7:08 p.m. and it will be on ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.

The series finale Thursday will see a pair of lefthanders on the mound. The Tigers will go with 23-year-old Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56 ERA/1.35 WHIP). The Pirates will hand the ball to 31-year-old Francisco Liriano (4-6, 3.21 ERA/1.01 WHIP). The afternoon matinee will get underway at 1:08 p.m. and it will be shown on ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.

Beyond The Scoreboard: The Bucs bullpen brings a 2.37 ERA into tonight’s match-up which is the third best ERA in the Majors. The Cardinals with a 2.01 ERA and the Royals with a 2.06 ERA are ahead of the Shark Tank…Starling Marte enters this evening’s contest having hit safely in each of his last five games, going 7-for-19 at the plate…Pittsbugh has 17 comeback wins so far this season…The Pirates come home on Friday to begin a 10-game homestand before the All-Star break. They open with a three-game weekend set with turnpike rival, the Cleveland Indians.

Next: Passion Move On To IWFL Eastern Conference Final

More from City of Champions

Home/Pittsburgh Pirates