KELLER, CHANDLER TO START FOR BUCS IN DOUBLEHEADER AT YANKEE STADIUM

The threat of severe weather forced the postponement of last night’s Pirates game against the Yankees, and when that weather arrived, the decision was certainly justified, with tornadoes hitting the New York City area and flooding in the streets.

The game will be made up tonight as the back end of a split doubleheader, the third twinbill this month for the Pirates and second in five days.

The opener will feature Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.14 ERA) against former Pirates ace Gerrit Cole (3-5, 3.93 ERA), who will be making his eleventh start since returning from Tommy John surgery.  Keller has been scuffling this season, his latest failure a three-inning 72-pitch effort July 9^th in a 10-5 loss against Atlanta.  He gave up three runs on four hits and two walks in that outing.

Cole threw six innings, giving up two runs on four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts last Friday in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.

In the nightcap of the doubleheader, rookie Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77 ERA) faces Yankees lefty Max Fried (4-3, 3.21 ERA).

Chandler lasted only four-and-two-thirds innings in his last start, July 11^th in a 3-2 Pirates win over the Brewers.  He struck out six and gave up five hits while walking three and surrendering two earned runs.  He’d gone only four innings in his previous start at Washington.

Fried was supposed to make a rehab start for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre today but New York decided to recall him and give him a start at Yankee Stadium instead.  His last Major League game was on May 13^th, and he was put on injured reserve with a left elbow bruise three days later.

Pregame for the first game of the doubleheader will be at 12:40, with first pitch at 1:05 on WCCS.  The pregame for the nightcap is at 6:40, with first pitch at 7:05.

REHABBING BUCS

Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz made his first rehab appearance last night, going 1-for-1 with a single and two walks, plus two runs scored for Bradenton in a 10-9 loss to Dunedin.  Horwitz didn’t just run the bases, he also stole a base as he rehabs from a hamstring injury. Also in that game, Indianapolis outfield prospect Mitch Jebb returned from thumb surgery and was 2-for-4 with a walk, stolen base, a run scored and two RBIs.