NL Central Division foes will collide on Sunday afternoon, when the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their weekend series from PNC Park. The Reds have dropped the first two games of this series and are 20 games below .500 overall. On Saturday, SP Luis Castillo (4-8) allowed three runs over five innings of a 6-2 loss.
Twenty-eight year old righty Anthony DeSclafani (1-1 5.40 ERA) will make his third start of the season for the Reds. In his last start, DeSclafani was tagged for ten hits and three runs during a 6-3 victory versus St Louis.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are riding a three-game winning streak and trying to stay in contention in the pennant chase. On Saturday, SP Ivan Nova (4-5) allowed five hits and one run over six frames to pitch the Pirates to victory. Josh Harrison added a two-run blast for Pittsburgh, who is seven games behind first place Milwaukee.
Pittsburgh skipper Clint Hurdle will turn to twenty-five year old righty Joe Musgrove (2-1 2.16 ERA) on Sunday. Through 25 innings, Musgrove has struck out 23 batters and owns a 1.12 WHIP.