I don’t have time to put a long post up right now since I have to give a talk tomorrow morning and, as I am wont to do, I’m waiting until the very last minute to polish it off. The Pirates continue their guantlet run into Atlanta tonight against the wild card-leading Braves and if you live outside of Pittsburgh, you’ll actually be able to watch your beloved Buccos on ESPN (if you live in Pittsburgh, you get ROOT Sports as usual, where I bet there will be fewer Sid Bream references). 

James McDonald takes the ball for the Bucs. He’s been the team’s best starter of late, and I think if the Pirates want a split in Atlanta that they have to take this game tonight. Pedro Alvarez is in the lineup, batting fifth. I won’t lie, I have a feeling about this guy. Tim Hudson goes for the Braves. 

First pitch tonight is at 7:10. 

Without trying to look too far ahead, the Pirates got awfully lucky this weekend drawing Tim Wakefield and Andrew Miller instead of some of the other pitchers in the Red Sox staff. There’s no point in counting chickens before they hatch, but a win against Jon Lester tonight would be an awesome way to kick this series off. 

Paul Maholm goes for the Bucs tonight in what might be a bit of an audition for him to prove that he can pitch against elite American League teams as the trade deadline approaches. He’s going to have a packed house to perform for, too, that should have at least as many Pirate fans in it as the Phillies series did, if not more (which doesn’t say much, I guess, depending on how cynical you are). Chase D’Arnaud makes his MLB debut tonight batting second and playing third which … heck of a way to break the kid in. 

First pitch tonight is at 7:05. Let’s keep surprising people.