He had surrendered three runs combined across his previous two starts while going seven innings in each.Musgrove seemed to settle in the second inning Tuesday, retiring the Pirates in order, but let one get away from him to Polanco in the third.
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Headed our way in Major League Baseball action on Wednesday, we’ve got the series finale between the Houston Astros and the Pittsburgh Pirates from PNC Park. Matt Joyce and Andrew McCutchen hit consecutive RBI doubles then Polanco and rookie Josh Bell drove in runs with singles. The Astros are 3 1/2 games behind the Orioles for the second wild card in the AL, while the Bucs are 3 1/2 games behind the Cardinals in the NL.
The 23-year-old gave up only one run in 11 1/3 innings in first two games, one a start and the other a relief appearance.
Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (1-1, 4.18 ERA) will make his fourth career start Tuesday night since being called up August 1 from Triple-A Fresno.
Dodgers 18, Reds 9 • Adrian Gonzalez hit three of the Dodgers’ seven homers – driving in a career-high eight runs – and rookie Corey Seager had a noteworthy homer as well, leading visiting Los Angeles to a victory and a split of its four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.
Taillon pitched well in the loss, hurling eight innings, allowing two runs and four hits with a career-high eight strikeouts. Boston starter Clay Buchholz (5-9) threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball.
“He’s learning”, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. It was the third home run for Hernandez, who was called up from Triple-A Fresno on August 12 to make his major league debut. He’s got to learn to battle himself through his first back-to-back games of adversity.
“You can’t be out there at second base”, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He has a ton of competitiveness in him”.
“I’m just trying to be patient at the home plate”, Hernandez said. “Up here, guys don’t miss pitches as much. That’s baseball. If you fall behind and make a mistake, they make you pay”.
PITTSBURGH: Nova allowed four runs on six hits over four innings in a no-decision last Wednesday versus the Giants. He allowed five runs on eight hits.NOTES: Astros 3B Luis Valbuena will undergo season-ending surgery on his injured right hamstring in the next few days. 3B/OF Yulieski Gurriel (right hamstring tightness) did not start for a second straight game after making his major league debut Sunday but is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday. OF Preston Tucker (strained right shoulder) is likely to begin a rehab assignment this weekend.
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Astros: RHP Collin McHugh (7-10, 4.99 ERA) starts the finale of the three-game series Wednesday. In 19 games and a 7-8 start this year, Cole holds a 3.30 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP in 109 innings. The Pirates, meanwhile, have dropped four straight games and are 0-5 in their last five home games versus a right-handed starter.
