VENUE: PNC Park
The Pittsburgh Pirates' lifeless offense resurfaced over the weekend, pounding out more hits than it had produced in consecutive games in nearly 35 years.
There's reason to believe those bats can stay hot in the opener of a four-game home set Monday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pittsburgh (32-59) went into the All-Star break as both the majors' worst-hitting (.235) and lowest-scoring (3.23 runs per game) team, and Friday's 5-2 loss to Houston seemed to indicate little would change in the second half.
Surprisingly, the Pirates' offense busted out of its doldrums as the weekend progressed. Pittsburgh had a season-high 17 hits in Saturday's 12-6 win, then surpassed that total Sunday with 19 hits in a 9-0 rout.
The 36 hits were the most in a two-game stretch by the Pirates since they amassed 39 on Sept. 16 and 17, 1975 - including a record seven-hit effort by second baseman Rennie Stennett in a 22-0 rout of the Cubs.
"Two days in a row lets the guys know what they're capable of doing," manager John Russell said. "It's a good building block for these young guys. They're starting to get the feeling they can score runs."
The surge, though, came with a negative development that could hurt Pittsburgh against the Brewers (42-51). Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates' leaders in runs, hits and steals, left Sunday's game with a sprained neck after making a diving catch in the eighth. Russell said his center fielder would be evaluated Monday.
"After it first happened, I didn't really know what to expect, but the X-rays were negative so we will see how it goes tomorrow and go from there," McCutchen said.
McCutchen is a .326 hitter with five homers and 15 RBIs in 20 games against Milwaukee, though his five RBIs in three contests at Miller Park before the break went for naught. The Brewers swept that set, winning all three games by one run.
The Pirates might find their chances better with Chris Capuano (0-1, 4.35 ERA) taking the mound for Milwaukee. The left-hander, who will be filling in for the injured Doug Davis, lasted 3 2-3 innings in his only start of the season back on June 3. Capuano, who has since made seven relief appearances, is back in the majors for the first time since 2007.
Facing Pittsburgh probably isn't the best time for him to jump back in the rotation. Capuano is 2-6 with a 6.34 lifetime ERA against the Pirates.
The Brewers certainly hope he can deliver a better effort than Manny Parra did Sunday. Milwaukee had to settle for a four-game split in Atlanta after Parra was shelled for 10 runs in an 11-6 loss.
The Brewers will attempt to bounce back against Pittsburgh starter Jeff Karstens (2-4, 4.87). They took advantage of the right-hander July 10, when he gave up a career-high six walks, five hits - including back-to-back homers to Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun - and four runs over five innings in a 4-3 loss at Miller Park.
Karstens has limited Fielder, Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks to a combined six hits in 43 at-bats (.140), but Braun is 6 for 13 with a pair of homers against him.
