Ok, i am going to take one for the team today. Going for the sweep but might be a tough sell versus Burnett.

1:10 PM @GABP

PIRATES
1. Starling Marte (R) LF
2. Josh Harrison (R) 3B
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF
4. Garrett Jones (L) RF
5. Neil Walker (S) 2B
6. Gaby Sanchez (R) 1B
7. Rod Barajas (R) C
8. Clint Barmes (R) SS
9. A.J. Burnett (R) P

REDS
1. Zack Cozart (R) SS
2. Drew Stubbs (R) CF
3. Jay Bruce (L) RF
4. Ryan Ludwick (R) LF
5. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
6. Miguel Cairo (R) 1B
7. Wilson Valdez (R) 2B
8. Ryan Hanigan (R) C
9. Homer Bailey (R) P

Homer Bailey, RHP 9-6, 3.85 ERA

Bailey seemed to be his normal self in the early going on Tuesday against the Padres before getting hit hard in the fourth. The six earned runs given up Tuesday equaled the amount he allowed in his previous five July starts combined.

A.J. Burnett, RHP 13-3, 3.27 ERA
In the prime of his career, Burnett comes off his best start of the season, the one-hitter over the Cubs. He had never before been 10 wins over .500, and the Bucs are 16-3 in his starts. An off-day allows him to start Sunday on his regular schedule.

Worth noting
• The Pirates are 8-4 in their last 12 games at Great American Ball Park.

• Cincinnati is 6-5 against the Pirates this season. After Sunday, the two teams will meet six more times this year.

Smart move by Hurdle to throw Burnett. This one doesn't look great on paper with that lineup but the way things have been goin it may not matter.

every game since joey went down hasn't looked good on paper.... even worse since brandon has been sidelined... sh!t, friday night we didn't even have Bruce in the line-up, yet somehow, we've already won this "impossible" series, lol.

nothing this team does this year will surprise me.. all of them are "All-In" and playing like it.

getchya brooms out folks, this is gonna be a dandy!

Well i do not think Hurdle will order any bean balls today but perhaps down the road in PITT it will happen. I am sure if a brawl ensues they would prefer to be in PNC park when it happens.

We can hope Burnett does something stupid and gets ejected. You would think 5½ games back winning would be more important then payback.

i don't anticipate any brawls, but i wouldn't be surprised if A.J. took it upon himself let one get away from him... seems like the kinda guy to man up for his team.

How many make shift lineups has Dusty thrown out there in the last 3 weeks? Your right doesn't seem to matter. I saying 4-1 in favor of the good guys.

The next time the Reds and Priates play will be in GAP again they will have a long wait if they wait for a game at PNC since the Reds wont have to face the Pirates or Cards on the road untill the final 2 series.

Pittsburgh needs to worry about winning a few games and not throwing bean balls. The Reds are going for 6 in a row today. It seems like just yesterday it was 10 in a row.

Heisey should start in RF. Bench Bruce!

Yesterday was the first time in months I saw Bruce actually go to LF.
Bench him until that becomes part of his regular hitting approach.

Got my broom ready.

how will he ever get there if we keep benching him, though?

lol

Bruce will be alright.

Don't even bother todd, Jay apparently set his house on fire after sleeping with his wife, daughter, and sister.

lol, oh i know... and Dusty drove the getaway car....

I knew Dusty was involved somehow but thanks for clearing that up for me lol.

I would love to get the sweep today and ordinarily with this Spring Training lineup against their ace I would say no way. BUT as hot as the Reds have been I am thinking Dusty could run the foxsports girls out there and win.

haha, gonna need a nice bounce back outing from Homer today.

Well I lost power last night a hour before the game and did not get power back until 15 hrs later, so I missed the game last night and it sounds like I missed a heck off a game. What news to find out we beat the Pirates again last night when I woke up this morning. I hope AJ reverts back to being a yankee and Homer get back on track today. Go Reds!