ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (57-54) vs. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (57-54) August 5, 2018 at PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA --- GAME #112/HOME #62 RHP JACK FLAHERTY (4-6, 3.49 ERA) vs. RHP TREVOR WILLIAMS (9-7, 3.89 ERA) THE PIRATES...have gone 4-5 in their last nine games after winning 11 in a row between 7/11-24...Have produced the best record in the National League (17-6) since 7/8...Have won 15 of their last 20 games and have gone 21-13 in their last 34 games, dating back to 6/25 (the fifth-best record in MLB in that time)...Were a season-high nine games over .500 following the action on 5/17 (26-17)...Were 54-57 after 111 games in 2017 (55-57 after 112). PUTTING UP ZEROS: Trevor Williams takes the mound today having not allowed a run in his last three starts (17.0ip)...It’s BUCS WHEN... the fourth-longest active streak in MLB and the longest scoreless streak by a Pittsburgh pitcher since Jameson Taillon went 18.1 innings last year; Mark Melancon has the next highest streak (22.1 consecutive scoreless innings in 2015)...Williams Last five games ................ 2-3 has been the starting pitcher in six of Pittsburgh’s 12 shutouts this season - four of which came at PNC Park. Last ten games ................. 5-5 WILLIAMS/FLAHERTY IV: Today marks the fourth matchup of the season between Trevor Williams and St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty...Williams won a 6-2 decision at PNC Park on 4/28 and Flaherty won a 4-1 decision in Pittsburgh on 5/26...The two Leading after 6 ................47-4 starters did not factor in the decisions on 5/31 at Busch Stadium as the Cardinals scored five runs in the ninth inning to pull Tied after 6 ....................7-6 out a 10-8 victory...In the three games, Williams has a 6.60 ERA (15.0ip/11er) and Flaherty has a 3.94 ERA (16.0ip/7er). Trailing after 6 ................3-44 HITTIN’ THE ROAD: Following the game today the Pirates embark on a 10-day, nine-game road trip to Denver, San Francisco and Minneapolis...The trip includes three games against the Rockies beginning Monday night, four against the Giants starting Leading after 7 ................ 48-1 Thursday and two against the Twins following a day off next Monday. Tied after 7 ....................4-6 COREY’S CONTRIBUTIONS: Corey Dickerson, who was reinstated from the disabled list Saturday, hit .400 last month while also recording an .829 slugging percentage and 1.253 OPS...Prior to being placed on the disabled list, he hit .481 (13-for-27) Trailing after 7 ................4-47 with three doubles, one triple, five home runs and nine RBI in his last six games played from July 15-24. Leading after 8 ................ 47-2 LEADING THE WAY: In his 11 games as the leadoff batter, Corey Dickerson is hitting .383 (18-for-57) with 15 runs, five home runs, 10 RBI and a .420 on-base percentage...The Pirates are 10-1 in the 11 games Corey has led off. Tied after 8 .................... 5-2 TOTAL RECALL: Adam Frazier delivered the game-winning hit Friday night with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning... Trailing after 8 ................4-50 Since being recalled from Indianapolis on 7/25, Frazier has gone 11-for-27 (.407) with five doubles and five RBI in nine games. Scoring first ................. 40-16 RIGHT ON: Gregory Polanco has hit 19 home runs as a right fielder this season; second in the league behind Bryce Harper’s 20 from that position...In team history, only four other Pirates have hit 20 or more home runs in one season while playing Opp. score first ................17-38 right field...Dave Parker did it four times, Roberto Clemente did it three times while Bobby Bonilla and Reggie Sanders accomplished it one time each...Sanders was the last to do it, hitting 22 as a right fielder in 2003. Scoring 4+ .................. 48-16 CENTRAL SUCCESS: The Bucs have posted a 28-18 record against teams from the National League Central division, which Scoring less than 4 .............9-38 includes 10 wins in the last 12 games and an 18-9 mark at home...Only once since the N.L. Central formed in 1994 have the Outhitting Opp. ............... 37-7 Pirates had a winning record within the division; they went 45-31 in 2013 and also posted a .500 record in 1997 (24-24). Being out-hit .................15-41 HOW MAY I ASSIST YOU?: Pittsburgh’s outfielders have recorded a National League-leading 26 assists this season, including three in the last two games...Starling Marte shares the league lead with 10 assists, which are also the most by a Pirates Hits are equal ..................5-6 center fielder since Andrew McCutchen had 11 in 2013...Corey Dickerson is tied for second in the league with seven assists among left fielders and Gregory Polanco is tied for third among right fielders with six assists. Comeback wins ................. 21 THE BUCCO OFFENSE: Dating back to July 6, the Pirates lead all National League teams with a .281 batting average and rank Wins in final AB ..................11 second behind Washington (.814) with an .805 OPS...Since the All-Star break, the Bucs are second in the league with an .830 Walkoff Wins ....................4 OPS (fifth in the Majors) and are second to only Baltimore (.299) with a .293 batting average. Losses in final AB .................8 REBORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY: Starling Marte is hitting .354 (34-for-96) since July 4...The only three players in the National League with a higher batting average in that time are Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich (.405), St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter Walk-off Losses ..................4 (.365) and Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez (.356). Extra Inning Games .............4-3 WHAT A CATCH: Francisco Cervelli has hit a career-high 10 home runs, nine from the catcher’s position and one as a pinch hitter...The last Bucco backstop to hit 10 in a season was Russell Martin in 2014 (11)...Overall this season, Pittsburgh Playing errorless ..............39-25 catchers have combined to post the best OPS (.815) among all Major League teams and only the Yankees (22), Dodgers (20) and Rangers (18) have produced more home runs from the catching position than the Pirates (16). Homered ................... 40-27 CASHING IN AT PNC: The Pirates have won 10 of their last 14 games played at PNC Park and 12 of their last 17 on home 2+ homers ...................19-12 turf...Overall this season, the Bucs have posted a 33-28 record at home. Series (W-L-T) ..............17-14-4 OUTFIELD OF DREAMS: Coming into today, Pittsburgh’s outfielders rank first among National League teams in OPS (.833), slugging percentage (.497), batting average (.282) and extra-base hits (154) while ranking third in home runs (56) behind Series Sweeps ....................6 the Dodgers (63) and Phillies (60). Swept in a Series .................4 FREESE WARNING: David Freese has homered three times in his last 25 at bats is one home run shy of 100 in his career... He is hitting .370 (17-for-46) with 13 RBI in his last 16 games and .347 (26-for-75) in his last 26 games, dating to 6/27. Interleague ...................12-3 Before the break .............48-49 ON THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY After the break .................9-5 August 5, 1969: Willie Stargell hit the longest home run in Dodger Stadium history, a 506-foot, six inch blast off Alan Foster in the sixth inning. Stargell’s bomb was the first to totally leave the stadium and still stands as the longest home run in stadium history. Bucco righthander Steve Starter goes 6.0ip+ ............36-19 Blass threw a complete game, helping the Pirates defeat the Dodgers 11-3. The Bucs scored seven runs in the ninth inning to blow the game Starter goes less than 6.0ip ....... 21-35 open. Matty Alou and Manny Sanguillen had three hits apiece in the victory. UP-COMING GAMES AND PROBABLE PITCHERS Monday at Colorado 8:40 EDT RHP Joe Musgrove (4-5, 3.63 ERA) vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (9-7, 3.20 ERA) AT&T SportsNet Tuesday at Colorado 8:40 EDT RHP Jameson Taillon (8-8, 3.74 ERA) vs. TBA AT&T SportsNet Wednesday at Colorado 3:10 EDT RHP Chris Archer (3-5, 4.49 ERA) vs. RHP German Márquez (9-8, 4.70 ERA) AT&T SportsNet 34 - RHP TREVOR WILLIAMS YEAR W-L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER BB SO 2017 7-9 4.07 31 25 0 0 150.1 145 73 68 52 117 2018 9-7 3.89 21 21 1 1 111.0 98 53 48 40 77 M.L. CAREER 17-17 4.17 59 47 1 1 274.0 262 139 127 97 205 ST. LOUIS: 2-3 with a 7.44 ERA (32.2ip/27er) in nine career appearances (six starts)...Is 1-1 in three starts this year; allowed two runs over 6.0 innings and won a 6-2 decision against Jack Flaherty on 4/28 at PNC Park, lost a 4-1 decision (4.0ip/4r) to Flaherty on 5/26 at PNC Park and had a no-decision (5.0ip/5r) in a 10-8 walkoff loss on 5/31...Also allowed one unearned run in 3.0 innings in his MLB debut while earning the win on 9/7/16 at PNC Park.