Pirates Look to Continue Momentum on the North Side of Chicago: What to Expect
For the first time since the 2018 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates hit the road to take on the Chicago White Sox in a short two-game series. The Pirates enter with momentum on their side after a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers and loom to carry that momentum into Tuesday night. The offense has been on fire and will once again be let if the Pirates plan to have another successful series. The offense combined to score 24 runs in the series with Milwaukee, providing plenty of run support. The Pirates are going to have to put up another strong effort if they want to beat a Chicago White Sox team that is surging right now.
The Chicago White Sox have won seven of their last eight ball games, with their lone loss coming on Sunday at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. They also have the reigning American League Player of the Week on their side in Jose Abreu and a pitching staff that ranks sixth in Major League Baseball with a team ERA of 3.79. The Pirates showed a glimpse of what the offense could be against the Milwaukee Brewers but bow they will have to scratch and claw their way to more runs against a tough White Sox pitching staff. So, here is what to expect as the Pirates get ready for their first match-up with the White Sox since 2018.
History Favors the Bucs
If we look back at the all-time matchup between the Pirates and White Sox, history favors Pittsburgh. In 34 games all-time between the two teams, the record sits at 17-17, but lately, it has been the Pirates that have shown success. Pittsburgh has won each of its last eight games against the White Sox dating back to the 2010 season. However, a lot has changed since those series for both teams as the Pirates have gone from contenders to sellers and the White Sox are trending upward with a few key free agent pickups and developing their prospects. The one thing that has reigned true in all of the Pirates wins during the current win streak is the offense they produced. The Pirates scored at least three runs in all of those wins and scored more than three runs in four of those eight games.
With offense being the key, the Pirates are going to be looking to the middle of their order to once again produce. Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco are both finding their swing as of late, the problem is neither player has ever faced the White Sox before and will have to make adjustments at the plate. It won't be easy, as the Chicago White Sox have allowed the second-fewest home runs in Major League Baseball, and the fewest in the American League. So, the Pirates are going to have to rely on stringing together extra-base hits. This is where a guy like Colin Moran could be the difference-maker in the series.
Moran has done very well in terms of picking up extra-base hits and had a career-high 30 a year ago. He currently ranks second on the team with four doubles this season and is fifth in batting average at .259. He is also one of the few Pirates with experience against the White Sox. In the series against the White Sox in 2018, Moran hit .333 with a home run and five RBI as the Pirates swept the White Sox. If he can have a similarly strong effort over these next two games, the Pirates could see similar success. For Reynolds, it will be a chance for the second-year player to prove that he can make adjustments at the plate and continue his current hot streak.
Use The Dimensions at Guarantee Rate Field
One of the reasons the White Sox have allowed the fewest home runs in the American League is because of the park they play at. Guarantee Rate Field has some deep dimensions with the shallowest part of the park being down the right-field line at 330 feet. This could be an advantage for the Pirates pitching staff, as they try to hold the White Sox at bay. Pittsburgh's strategy more often than not is to keep the ball on the ground, and that will be key in this series. There have been some timely home runs that have killed the Bucs this season, and a deep yard may help their pitchers late in games.
Starting things off is Steven Brault, who has been on a role as a starting pitcher as of late. He has not allowed an earned run in any of his four starts this season and looks to continue that streak in the opener. He is followed by another historic groundball pitcher Trevor Williams for the finale on Wednesday. Both of these pitchers like to keep the ball on the ground and generate soft contact. They can use this big ballpark to their advantage by keeping the ball up in the zone and using that to change the eye level of the batter when they want to go low. If they do happen to mess up, it shouldn't hurt them as bad, and the Pirates outfield can run down fly balls that might be gone in PNC Park.
The two-game series kicks off tonight at Guarenter Rate Field with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 pm. Steven Brault (0-0, 3.00) gets the start for Pittsburgh going against Lucas Giolito (2-2, 3.89) for the White Sox. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet or as the MLB.tv Free Game of the Day. You can also listen at 93.7 The Fan as the Pirates look yo extend their first winning streak of the season.
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