The worst part of the 2014 Pittsburgh Pirate season was the interminable stretch in the late spring/early summer in which it was clear that the Pirates were playing somewhere below what they were ultimately capable of and unclear if they were going to be able to get their shit together quickly enough to make another playoff run. Obviously the 2015 season is way too young to say that’s what’s happening with the Pirates right now, but it’s also hard to feel 100% positive about things less than 24 hours after being dominated by Jason Hammel.
While the Pirates wait for their bats, Jeff Locke will start for them tonight. Locke was not great in his last start against the Cubs; his control wavered for the first time this year, and he only made it through five innings. Control is pretty much the entire Jeff Locke story at this point; he looked excellent in his first two starts because he put the ball where he wanted it, and he looked shaky in his third because he couldn’t.
Travis Wood starts for the Cubs. He was unimpressive against the Pirates last time out, though Mark Melancon bailed him out. Perhaps a lefty is just what the doctor ordered for the Pirate offense.
First pitch tonight is at 8:05.
Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images
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