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Pirates Pregame: Rodriguez Will Start Friday Against Braves

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Wandy Rodriguez was throwing today during the pregame media session with Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, and apparently things went well.

Wandy Rodriguez will return from injury and start against the Braves on Friday.
Wandy Rodriguez will return from injury and start against the Braves on Friday.

Hurdle said he would have more information about Rodriguez’s status after tonight game.

“I’ll definitely have something for you after the the game,” he said. “Or if you hear a big scream and jump up and down then you know it’s all good.”

There were no screams or jumping to be heard or seen, but not long after the session with Hurdle concluded a Pirates spokesman announced to the media in the PNC Park press box that Rodriguez will start Friday against the Atlanta Braves.

Rodriguez missed one start after tweaking his left hamstring. Hurdle said that if Rodriguez was not ready to go, then Jonathan Sanchez would have been an option after Tuesday’s rain out cut his start short.

**

Tuesday’s rain-postponed game against the Cardinals can be viewed two ways — bad because the Pirates were winning when the game was called or good because it gave the bullpen a day off.

Sanchez was hit hard by St. Louis in the first inning to the tune of two runs, but the Pirates did some hitting of their own off the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook to take a 4-2 lead into the second inning.

Both teams got through the second inning unscathed before rain and lightning showed up in Pittsburgh and washed out the rest of the game.

“It was 4-2, Jonathan is not going to be back on the mound,” Hurdle said. “Mazzaro is going to be back on the mound and we’re going to have to cover seven innings, at least. So would that have been challenging? Probably to some degree. I’ll take the night. I think we’ll all take the night and we’ll move on.”

**

The Pirates will get their first look at St. Louis pitcher Shelby Miller today. Miller was the 19th pick in the 2009 amateur draft and is 2-0 so far this season with 12 strikeouts and two earned runs allowed in 12.1 innings pitched.

“Saw him last season in the postseason run, saw some video on him,” Hurdle said. “It’s a big arm, a live arm. He’s obviously got out to a good start so he’s due not to do good. That’s the way I look at things. It’s kind of like the Braves rotation coming into town — they’re about ready to cough it up.”

Needless to say, Hurdle was in a a good mood and joking with the media this afternoon.

**

Lineups —

St. Louis (8-5, 1st National League Central)
1. Jay cf
2. Carpenter 2b
3. Holliday lf
4. Beltran rf
5. Molina c
6. Adams 1b
7. Freese 5
8. Descalso ss
9. Miller p

Pittsburgh (6-7, tied 2nd National League Central)
1. Marte lf
2. Snider rf
3. McCutchen cf
4. Jones 1b
5. Walker 2b
6. Alvarez 3b
7. Martin c
8. Barmes ss
9. Burnett p

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