ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (0-0) vs. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (0-0) APRIL 3, 2016 at PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA --- GAME #1/HOME #1 RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT (2-1, 1.61 ERA in 2015) vs. LHP FRANCISCO LIRIANO (12-7, 3.38 ERA in 2015) LET THE GAMES BEGIN: Today the Pirates begin their 130th season of professional baseball in the National League...The Bucs have a 69-60 record in their first 129 openers (53-45 on the road and 16-15 at home)...The Pirates lost to the Reds, 5-2, on Opening Day last year in Cincinnati. OPENING AT HOME: The Bucs are opening the season at home for the fourth time in the last five years...The Pirates have now BUCS WHEN... opened the regular season on the road 98 times, compared to just 32 times on their home turf...The Pirates have gone 6-9 in Last five games ................0-0 Home Openers played at PNC Park; 3-3 in season opening contests. Last ten games .................0-0 THE BEST IN BASEBALL: Over the last three years, the Pirates have won 280 games...That total is the second-highest among all Major League teams behind the St. Louis Cardinals (287). Leading after 6 .................0-0 FRANKIE SAYS: This afternoon marks the third straight Opening Day assignment for Francisco Liriano and his fourth over- Tied after 6 ....................0-0 all...He also started the season opener for the Twins in 2009 and lost a 6-1 decision to Felix Hernandez and the Mariners in Minnesota...The last Pittsburgh pitcher to start three consecutive Openers was Doug Drabek (1990-1992)...In addition Trailing after 6 .................0-0 to Liriano and Drabek, Howie Camnitz (1908-1910), Babe Adams (1911-1914), Cy Blanton (1936-1939) and Bob Friend (1956-1958 & 1960-1962) are the only other Bucco pitchers to start at least three in a row. Leading after 7 .................0-0 FRANCISCO3 & KENDALL: Francisco Liriano and Francisco Cervelli are battery mates for the second consecutive sea- Tied after 7 ....................0-0 son opener...This marks the first time the Pirates have used the same starting pitcher and catcher on Opening Day since Trailing after 7 .................0-0 Francisco Cordova and Jason Kendall did so in 1998 and 1999...Doug Drabek and Mike LaValliere did this in three straight years (1990-1992). Leading after 8 .................0-0 AND THE WHIFF: Francisco Liriano enters today’s start 11 strikeouts shy of 1400 in his career...Frankie begins the 2016 Tied after 8 ....................0-0 campaign ranked sixth among active LHP in K’s, trailing CC Sabathia (2574), Cole Hamels (1922), Clayton Kershaw (1746), Jon Lester (1664) and Scott Kazmir (1474). Trailing after 8 .................0-0 vs. ST. LOUIS: Today’s game marks the first time since 1977 in which the Pirates hosted the Cardinals on Opening Day... Scoring first ...................0-0 The two clubs last met in the season opener in 2009 with the Bucs winning a 6-4 decision at Busch Stadium in St. Louis... Overall, the Pirates have played the Cardinals more than any other team on Opening Day and have gone 15-16 in the previos Opp. score first .................0-0 31 matchups...For a complete list of Pittsburgh’s Opening Day results, look at pages 317-318 of the Pirates Media Guide. Scoring 4+ ....................0-0 CLOSING TIME: Bucco closer Mark Melancon enters today’s action with 100 saves as a member of the Pirates, one of only Scoring less than 4 ..............0-0 four pitchers with 100 or more saves in club history (since saves became official in 1969)...Melancon set a club record and led the Majors with 51 saves in 2015 while being named the winner of the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever-of-the-Year. Outhitting Opp. ................0-0 OPENING DAY INFO: Gates open to the public today at 11:00 am...Player introductions are scheduled to begin at 12:30 pm Being out-hit ..................0-0 - first the Cardinals and then the Pirates – prior to which Mark Melancon, Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and the Pirates Organization will be honored for their award winning achievements in 2015...Following a moment of silence, Pittsburgh Hits are equal ..................0-0 native Jackie Evancho will perform The Star Spangled Banner...The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by James Conner, the University of Pittsburgh football player battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Comeback wins ..................0 NUMBER CHANGES: Beginning today, infielder David Freese will wear uniform #23 (he was #7 in spring training) and Wins in final AB ..................0 oufielder Matt Joyce will wear uniform number 17 (he was #67 in spring training). Walkoff Wins ....................0 OPENING DAY LINEUPS: Here’s a look at Pittsburgh’s past four opening day lineups: Losses in final AB .................0 2015 2014 2013 2012 Josh Harrison (3b) Starling Marte (lf) Starling Marte (lf) Alex Presley (lf) Extra Inning Games .............0-0 Gregory Polanco (rf) Travis Snider (rf) Garrett Jones (rf) Jose Tabata (rf) Andrew McCutchen (cf) Andrew McCutchen (cf) Andrew McCutchen (cf) Andrew McCutchen (cf) Playing errorless ...............0-0 Neil Walker (2b) Pedro Alvarez (3b) Pedro Alvarez (3b) Neil Walker (2b) Starling Marte (lf) Russell Martin (c) Gaby Sanchez (1b) Garrett Jones (1b) Homered .....................0-0 Pedro Alvarez (1b) Neil Walker (2b) Neil Walker (2b) Rod Barajas (c) 2+ homers ....................0-0 Francisco Cervelli (c) Travis Ishikawa (1b) Russell Martin (c) Pedro Alvarez (3b) Jordy Mercer (ss) Jordy Mercer (ss) Clint Barmes (ss) Clint Barmes (ss) Series (W-L-T) ...............0-0-0 Francisco Liriano (lhp) Francisco Liriano (lhp) A.J. Burnett (rhp) Erik Bedard (lhp) Series Sweeps ....................0 ROSTER NOTES: There are 12 players returning from last year’s Opening Day roster (not including players on the D.L.)...A total of nine players will be wearing black and gold for the first time (Neftali Feliz, Cole Figueroa, David Freese, John Swept in a Series .................0 Jaso, Matt Joyce, Kyle Lobstein, Cory Luebke, Juan Nicasio and Jonathon Niese)...The average age of the current active roster is 29.6, compared to 28.4 last year, 28.3 in 2014, 28.6 in 2013, 28.4 in 2012, 27.6 in 2011, 28.3 in 2010 and 27.4 in Interleague ...................0-0 2009...Infielder Cole Figueroa is the lone rookie on the squad...The oldest player is Ryan Vogelsong (38) and the youngest Before the break ...............0-0 is Gregory Polanco (24). After the break .................0-0 ON THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY Starter goes 6.0ip+ .............0-0 April 3, 2003: The Pirates completed a season-opening three-game sweep of the Reds in Cincinnati with a 7-5 win. Former Red Reggie Starter goes less than 6.0ip .........0-0 Sanders homered twice, going 4-for-5 while finishing the day with five RBI. Sanders finished the series 7-for-10 while the Pirates jumped out to a 3-0 start to the regular season for the first time since 1993. UP-COMING GAMES AND PROBABLE PITCHERS Monday in Pittsburgh OFF DAY Tuesday vs. St. Louis 7:05 RHP Michael Wacha (17-7, 3.38 ERA in 2015) vs. LHP Jonathon Niese (9-10, 4.13 ERA in 2015) MLB NETWORK Wednesday vs. St. Louis 7:05 RHP Mike Leake (11-10, 3.71 ERA) vs. RHP Juan Nicasio (1-3, 3.86 ERA in 2015) ROOT Thursday TRAVEL DAY TO CINCINNATI Friday at Cincinnati 7:10 TBA vs. RHP Alfredo Simon (13-12, 5.05 ERA in 2015) ROOT 47 - LHP FRANCISCO LIRIANO YEAR W-L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER BB SO 2015 12-7 3.38 31 31 0 0 186.2 155 75 70 70 205 2016 0-0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 M.L. CAREER 88-79 3.97 254 227 3 1 1350.0 1200 631 596 570 1389 vs. ST. LOUIS: 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA (76.2ip/22er) in 12 career starts...Went 1-1 in four starts last season; had a no-decision on 5/2 at Busch Stadium (8.0ip/1er) in Pittsburgh’s 2-1 loss in 11 innings, lost an 8-5 decision (6.1ip/6r/5er) to Michael Wacha on 5/8 at PNC Park, received a no-decision (6.1ip/2er) in Pittsburgh’s 6-5, 10-inning walkoff win on 7/12 at PNC Park and won a 10-5 decision (6.0ip/3er) on 8/13 at Busch Stadium...Has gone 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA (44.2ip/15er) in seven starts at PNC Park; has lost his last two decisions after winning his first two starts during the 2013 season. DATE/OPP W/L IP H R ER BB SO PITCHES ERA SCORE DATE/OPP W/L IP H R ER BB SO PITCHES ERA SCORE 3/4 vs. Twins ND 2.0 0 0 0 0 4 0.00 2-2 T 3/10 at Rays L 3.0 5 2 2 1 3 3.60 1-5 L 3/21 vs. Braves L 3.2 7 4 4 1 5 6.23 3-7 L 3/26 vs. Rays L 4.2 7 3 3 0 4 6.08 SPRING (0-3, 6.08 ERA) 13.1 19 9 9 2 16 In addition to his official Grapefruit League appearances listed above, Liriano also threw 70 pitches in 4.0 innings of work on 3/16 against minor leaguers at Pirate City. 4/3 vs. St. Louis APRIL 1st Half (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CAREER BATTING: .121 (21-for-174) 2 2B 0 3B 1 HR 10 RBI 14 SACS 2016 BATTING: .000 (0-for-0) 0 2B 0 3B 0 HR 0 RBI 0 SACS CAREER HOMERS (1): 8/8/15 vs.