The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates look to improve their already impressive records in their Friday night matchup at PNC Park. The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET and will air live on ROOT Sports, MLB.com with a paid subscription and free here.
Wandy Rodriguez (6-2) is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh. He currently holds a 3.58 and looks to extend their longest home winning streak in over five years.
Pittsburgh has won 16 of its last 20 thanks in large part to a 2.21 ERA from the staff - 1.96 while going 10-2 at home. That success has put the Pirates in second place in the NL Central, one game ahead of Cincinnati as both teams chase first-place St. Louis.
The Pirates are on a six-game home winning streak, during which its pitchers have compiled a 1.45 ERA. Pittsburgh hasn't put together a longer run at home since winning seven straight from April 27-May 12, 2008.
To match such a feat, the Pirates would have to successfully beat Cincinnati on Friday again after sweeping a three-game set from April 12-14. The Pirates got another dazzling effort Thursday, when six pitchers combined to scatter nine hits in a 1-0, 11-inning victory over Detroit - its second such win over the Tigers in three games.
"It goes back to the staples of pitching we've been talking about since the start of spring training," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Have intent with every pitch and have conviction with every pitch and execution will follow."
That seems to be the case for Rodriguez, who is looking to win a career-high five straight starts in the opener of his three-game series.
The lefty has won four games in a row with a 3.00 ERA, but his latest outing was his shortest of that stretch.
The Reds are expecting to turn to Johnny Cueto (2-0, 2.76), who returns to Pittsburgh for the first time since suffering an injury in a 3-1 loss April 13. The right-hander allowed one run and two hits before exiting in the fifth inning due to a strained right triceps, which sidelined him for five weeks.
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