Series Preview: Pirates at Indians

Summary:

This is the Pirates’ first visit to Cleveland since 2006, when the Indians took two of three games. The Pirates took two of three games from the Indians each of the past two seasons in Pittsburgh. The Pirates lead the all-time series, 15-12.

Pitching Matchups:

Tonight: RHP Kevin Correia (8-5, 3.73) vs. RHP Josh Tomlin (7-4, 4.14)

Tomorrow Night: LHP Paul Maholm (3-7, 3.12) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (6-3, 4.09)

Sunday Afternoon: RHP Jeff Karstens (4-4, 2.66) vs. RHP Justin Masterson (5-5, 3.16)

Welcome Back, Carter!

The Tribe has reactiviated DH Travis Hafner off the disabled list prior to todays game. To make room on the 25-man roster, Travis Buck was optioned to Class AAA Columbus. Hafner is in the lineup and batting cleanup tonight as the Tribe opens a three-game series against the Pirates at Progressive Field. Hafner is hitting .345 with eight doubles, five homers and 22 RBI in 32 games for the Indians. Hafner suffered a strained right oblique May 18 in Chicago. He felt pain during a batting practice swing as the Tribe prepared to play the White Sox. He was placed on the DL on May 20.

Pirate News & Notes:

• CF Andrew McCutchen lost a 15-game hitting streak Thursday even though he singled in the Pirates’ 5-4 victory in Houston. The Mets appealed a scoring decision Saturday in Pittsburgh that McCutchen’s double should have been ruled an error, and a Major League Baseball panel unanimously concurred. His streak now is at five.

• 3B Josh Harrison returned to the lineup after missing four games because of a strained oblique muscle. Playing before family and friends in his native Texas, he delivered an RBI double to deep right in the sixth inning.

• RHP Joel Hanrahan, one of the majors’ top closer with 19 saves in as many chances, was not available Thursday because of manager Clint Hurdle’s personal rule of never using a reliever in more than three consecutive games. RHP Jose Veras got his first save with the Pirates despite giving up a run in the ninth inning.

• SS Ronny Cedeno’s relay and C Dusty Brown’s tough tag resulted in a 7-6-3 double play that nailed Houston’s Hunter Pence in the third inning. Cedeno has made only one error in the last six weeks.

• LHP Tony Watson, one of the two rookies in the bullpen, continues to impress. He pitched two scoreless, hitless innings in relief of shaky RHP James McDonald, keeping his ERA at 0.00 through two weeks since being promoted. 

• The Pirates have won 10 of the last 15 meetings between these two teams, scoring at least five runs in eight of the 10 wins. 

• Garrett Jones is hitting .348 (24-for-69) with seven extra-base hits and 14 RBI in 19 career interleague games. 

• Kevin Correia is 7-1 with a 2.42 ERA in eight road starts in 2011. Opponents are hitting just .216 against Correia in those road starts. His seven wins on the road this year are also the most in the majors.

Stat of the Series:

4—Number of times the Pirates won the first two of a three-game series, only to fall short of a sweep. That changed Thursday with a 5-4 victory in Houston that finally brought a sweep.

He said what?

“Oh, yeah. We’re checking what other teams are doing.”

—1B Garrett Jones, after the Pirates’ sweep Thursday, on whether the Pirates are scoreboard watching.

Injury Watch:

• 3B Josh Harrison (mild right oblique strain) was out of the lineup June 12-15. He returned to action June 16.

• C Chris Snyder (herniated disk in lower back) went on the 15-day disabled list June 9, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 10. He had surgery in mid-June, and he might miss the rest of the season.

• RHP Evan Meek (right shoulder tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 8. It’s his second DL stint for the same ailment this season. His velocity dipped, but Meek said he did not feel pain. He will have the shoulder examined June 13 by Dr. James Andrews. Meek was cleared of any major injury by Dr. Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., and he will remain on a rest-and-rehabilitation path that has him on course to return in late July.

• C Ryan Doumit (non-displaced fracture in left ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list May 30. He was headed to Bradenton, Fla., on June 9 to begin his rehabilitation. He is out until late July. Doumit had a CT scan on June 13 that confirmed his injury was healing as expected, and he left the team for Bradenton, Fla., where he was expected to begin his rehabilitation.

• 3B Steve Pearce (partially torn muscle in right calf) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 29. There is no timetable for his return.

• LHP Joe Beimel (left elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 28. He threw off a mound June 14 for the first time since the injury.

• 3B Pedro Alvarez (sore right quadriceps) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 20. He was rehabbing in extended spring training in early June when he suffered a setback. There is no timetable for his return.

• RHP Mike Crotta (right elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 11.

• RHP Ross Ohlendorf (strained right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list April 9, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 30. He threw off flat ground for the first time April 17. Ohlendorf threw from 120 feet April 26, and he threw two bullpen sessions in late April. He pitched his first live batting practice May 3 and threw another May 6. He had a setback, but he resumed throwing over the second weekend of May. He began throwing off a mound in Bradenton, Fla., in late May.

• RHP Kevin Hart (right shoulder surgery in May 2010) went on the 60-day disabled list March 18. He was throwing in Bradenton, Fla., in mid-April, but the timetable for his return was uncertain.

ROSTER:

Rotation:

LHP Paul Maholm

RHP Kevin Correia

RHP James McDonald

RHP Charlie Morton

RHP Jeff Karstens

Bullpen:

RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer)

RHP Chris Resop

RHP Jose Veras

LHP Tony Watson

LHP Daniel Moskos

RHP Daniel McCutchen

RHP Tim Wood

Catchers:

Dusty Brown

Mike McKenry

Infielders:

1B Lyle Overbay

2B Neil Walker

SS Ronny Cedeno

3B Brandon Wood

INF Pedro Ciriaco

INF Josh Harrison

Outfielders:

LF Jose Tabata

CF Andrew McCutchen

RF Xavier Paul

OF Garrett Jones

OF Matt Diaz

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has built the club back to respectability.

Huntington is the former assistant GM of the Tribe.