The Miami Marlins look to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates in another critical pitching matchup.
MIAMI, Fla. – Coming off Wednesday’s 8-2 win, the Miami Marlins look to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates at LoanDepot Park, ahead of a six-game road trip.
The team is 1.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last Wild Card spot in the National League. Despite Kyle Stowers's absence, the lineup’s production has stepped up. The Marlins have homered three times in the last two games.
However, the rally must continue to keep all postseason hopes alive.
Probable Pitchers
Closing out a South Florida trip, the Pirates list Braxton Ashcraft as Thursday’s probable pitcher. He’s produced a 4.08 ERA and a 11-5 record in 132.1 innings (23 starts). Ashcraft received his first All-Star nod this season. After primarily coming out of the bullpen as a rookie, the second-year major leaguer has stepped up as a starter.
Ashcraft relies on five pitches:
- Four Seamer (31.8 percent)
- Curveball (26.3 percent)
- Slider (23.2 percent)
- Sinker (13.9 percent)
- Split Finger (4.9 percent)
Ashcraft has a 97th percentile chase rate and 89th percentile fastball velocity, but has an 89th percentile walk rate, which is higher than his 76th percentile strikeout rate.
For the Marlins, Tyler Phillips is listed as the probable pitcher. He’s produced a 3.47 ERA and a 3-5 record in a career-high 93.1 innings (29 games and 13 starts). Phillips relies on six pitches:
- Sinker (25.7 percent)
- Split Finger (23.9 percent)
- Sweeper (23.9 percent)
- Curveball (16.7 percent)
- Four Seamer (8.8 percent)
- Slider (1.1 percent)
Although Phillips’ strikeout rate is below average (14th percentile), he carves out groundballs (69th percentile) for the infield to make plays and get easy outs.
Game Notes
Griffin Conine’s offense has picked up in the last four games. He’s had seven hits in 13 at-bats, including three home runs. Without Stowers, the 29-year-old’s power needs to stay strong.
Agustin Ramirez’s offense could be coming to full form again. He’s had two multi-hit performances in his last three games. Manager Clayton McCullough continues to trust in Ramirez and the 24-year-old is taking advantage of the opportunities.
How to Watch and Listen
The game will be televised on Marlins.TV and SportsNet Pittsburgh. For radio options, the Marlins broadcast can be heard on 560AM WQAM and WAQI 710. Meanwhile, the Pirates broadcast can be found on 100.1 FM/KDKA-AM 1020. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. E.T.
