Pirates hope to sweep struggling Braves
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Pirates target a sweep of the struggling Atlanta Braves Sunday at PNC Park.
The Pirates won Friday's opener by a 3-2 score in 10 innings, then posted an 8-4 win on Saturday.
Starling Marte went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a steal of home and an RBI, while Pedro Alvarez, Francisco Cervelli and Jordy Mercer all drove in two runs. Charlie Morton stayed unbeaten at home with six-plus effective innings at a wet PNC Park.
"My curveball was working pretty well," Morton said. "I mixed it up a little more."
Pittsburgh will visit Detroit next for three games at Comerica Park.
The Pirates have won each of Jeff Locke's last three starts and the left- hander gets the nod Sunday. Locke did not record a decision in Tuesday's 7-6 win over Cincinnati and was reached for four runs -- two earned -- and nine hits in only four innings of work.
Locke is 1-0 in his past four trips to the hill and has made five career starts against the Braves, going 1-1 with a lofty 6.08 ERA.
Atlanta has dropped five in a row and didn't get much help from Julio Teheran, who allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings.
Jace Peterson drove in three runs for the Braves.
The Braves will play the next six games at home versus Washington and Philadelphia.
Alex Wood draws the start for the Braves Sunday and is 4-5 with a 3.44 earned run average in 14 starts. Wood won three starts in a row from May 16 to June 1, but is 0-3 in his previous four outings.
Wood gave up three runs and 10 hits across seven innings of a 3-1 setback at Washington on Tuesday. He has allowed 11 runs during his winless streak. The left-hander lost to the Pirates on June 7, when he gave up all three runs over a five-inning stint in a 3-0 loss.
In four career meetings (3 starts) with Pittsburgh, Wood is 0-2 with a 3.48 ERA in 20 2/3 innings of work.
Pittsburgh won two of three games in Atlanta earlier this month and is 8-2 in the past 10 meetings between the teams.