Pirates/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
PIRATES – MARLINS
Jeff Locke is 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA in three starts vs the Marlins but the left hander has his work cut out for him to keep a spot in the rotation.
J.A. Happ’s emergence over his last three starts has put Locke potentially on the outs with A.J. Burnett progressing well in his rehab and Vance Worley an option when rosters expand.
[hide] The Pirates feel Burnett is progressing towards a return to the mound in the next two weeks. Burnett threw 35 pitches off the mound in a simulated game Tuesday, 20 in the pen.
“It was a good step,” Burnett told reporters. “Thirty-five pitches off the mound, 20 in the pen. Everything felt better than it’s felt in a long, long time, so that’s a positive day.”
Locke enters tonight 1-2 with a 6.39 ERA in his past six starts and has failed to get past the sixth inning in any of the outings. After allowing five homers in his first 19 starts, Locke has allowed six homers in his last five starts.
Worley is 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA in Indianapolis but was knocked around a bit today, allowing nine hits and three runs in six innings pitched.
PIRATES LINEUP
1. Josh Harrison, RF
2. Starling Marte, LF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Jung Ho Kang, SS
6. Michael Morse, 1B
7. Neil Walker, 2B
8. Chris Stewart, C
9. Jeff Locke, P [/hide]
