The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to snap their four-game losing streak on Tuesday evening and pull even in their series with the lowly Houston Astros. The Bucs dropped the series opener on Labor Day in a lackluster 5-1 loss, as Houston starter Edgar Gonzalez picked up his first MLB win in four years.
Wandy Rodriguez will be on the hill for the Pirates, facing his former team for the second time in a Bucs uniform. Wandy threw six scoreless innings in his last outing, a Pittsburgh shutout of the Cardinals. The Astros have one of the worst lineups in the game, so it will be crucial for the deadline acquisition to step up on the mound and be the stopper for manager Clint Hurdle.
First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park, and after the holiday matinee, the Bucs will have had plenty of time to think about Monday's disappointment and try to regroup. They're currently 2.5 games back of St. Louis and Atlanta in the Wild Card. Getting these games against the 'Stros and Cubs this week will be huge before a three-game set against the Reds next week.
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