Left -hander Bailey Falter, who may be of the best season of his career, will start on Saturday afternoon when Hans Pittsburgh Pirates visits Miami Marlins.
Falter went 8-9 with a 4.43 era last year and set his career for profits, home runs per nine rounds (1.1), hits per nine (8.7) and starts (28).
He has a record of 3-0 with a 4.30 era in eight career games (five starts) against Marlins.
Falter would love to get great support from Pirates Center Fielfa Oneil Cruz, who had a huge game on Friday. He went 2-for-4 with a Homer, two RBI, two runs, one walk and one steal in a 4-3 victory over Miami.
“He’s Oneil Cruz – he’s one of the players you have to beat around a bit,” said Marlin’s starting jug Connor Gillispie after Friday’s game. “You know he will do harm.”
The Pirates also have a new player this weekend when 26-year-old Infielder Enmanuel Valdez was added to replace other bass man Nick Gonzales, who has a non-shifted fracture on his left ankle.
Gonzales, who hammered in Pirates 5-4 season-opening loss on Thursday, was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Pirate’s manager Derek Shelton said he loves Valdez versatility.
“He has a left -handed ability to meet,” Shelton said. “We knew he could beat when we acquired him, and his ability to play all over the diamond is something we value.”
At the same time, Marlins, who made a league-high 117 error last year, is still trying to clean up that part of their game.
Miami made four mistakes in his loss to Pittsburgh on Friday.
Marlins on Saturday will start the right hand Valente Bellozo, who made his MLB debut last season and went 3-4 with a 3.67 era.
Bellozo, 25, met the pirates once and went 0-1 but with a 1.69 era. In the start of September 9 at Pittsburgh, Bellozo went 5 1/3 rounds, which allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with two strikes.
Bellozo will probably have Otto Lopez to play on the second base on Saturday.
Lopez hit his face on Friday when he tried to take a throw from midfielder Derek Hill. However, Lopez stayed in the game and later hammered from Pirates closer to David Bednar in the ninth round.
“It required a tricky hope,” said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough about the one-cuddly throw from the hill to Lopez. “But Otto is a tough guy.”
McCullough also liked the fact that Marlins collected from a three-run deficit to win on Thursday. And after releasing with four runs on Friday, they fought before falling at a run.
“It was great that a lot of struggle from our guys,” McCullough said. “Our guys will never end. We keep giving ourselves the chance late.
“For the pirates to have to use leverage relievers (which pray) is large, especially in a series of four games.”
When it comes to Miami’s Tjurpen, Marlins got a big boost on Friday when Reliever Tyler Phillips beat three speechless innings.
Marlin’s acquired him from Phillies on Wednesday.
“Right now you feel many emotions,” Phillips said about the trade. “Super excited to be in Miami.”
-Field level media
