The Pirates had a spectacular April and a dismal May, but they enter the month of June over .500 by one game and in second place in the National League Central, a half-game behind Milwaukee.
The Bucs begin a nine-game homestand tonight, taking on a Central Division rival. Joe Block has a preview.
Contreras is 3-4, with a 4.33 ERA. Flaherty is also 3-4, with an ERA of 4.81. Since it’s June and school is out, Pirates home games switch to a 7:05 first pitch, so airtime is 6:40 on WCCS.
Former Pirates number one draft choice Travis Swaggerty has had another difficult season at Triple-A Indianapolis. The outfielder has missed all but fifteen games this season with an undisclosed illness and just returned to the Indy lineup on Wednesday. And yesterday, he wrote on his Twitter account that his wife, Peyton, is being treated at the Mayo Clinic for an “extremely rare, painful blood disease that has taken over her body.” The condition was brought on by a bite from a rabid raccoon suffered last year. Peyton Swaggerty has already battled thyroid cancer. Her husband is asking for prayers.
ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona survived a perilous ninth inning to beat Binghampton, 9-8. Connor Scott made a bases loaded, full extension diving catch of a line drive to right field to end the game and stop a rally.
Claudio Finol had three hits, including two doubles. Scott, Liover Peguero, and Lolo Sanchez each had two hits and Matt Fraizer drove in five runs. Bear Bellomy threw 1-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief for the win.
Jared Jones starts for the Curve tonight in the series’ fourth game.
