The Pittsburgh Pirates might want to scratch out a scouting report on Brent Suter — as a hitter — before their series finale Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.
Suter is strong enough on the mound. The left-hander is 7-4 with a 4.30 ERA going into his expected start against the Pirates
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That includes a 13-2 win over Philadelphia Friday, when Suter allowed one run and six hits while tying a career high with seven innings pitched. But he seemed more excited about what he did at the plate in that game.
Suter drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, reached on an error and singled in a run in his three plate appearances against the Phillies.
“I feel locked in at the plate,” he said. “I’m a little late on fastballs, but I’m seeing the ball well. I’m seeing offspeed down. Any way you can help your team win is a good way to help your team win.”
Suter is 3-for-10 since he hit a 433-foot homer off American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber May 9. He was 4-for-28 before that, including 1-for-8 this season.
“There’s a confidence there,” Suter said. “Hitting is one of my favorite parts. I love hitting. I’ve loved it my whole life. Even when I’m struggling, I still like going up there and trying to whack it.”
As for his “day job,” Suter will be trying to help the Brewers (43-30) take the series and keep hold of first place in the National League Central.
Milwaukee won 3-2 Tuesday to end a three-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh (36-37) had won four of five before Tuesday and will be trying to win its second straight series after losing eight in a row.
Suter will oppose Pittsburgh right-hander Chad Kuhl (5-4, 3.76 ERA).
In his past five starts
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Part of his recent success is tied to mixing in a lot of breaking balls.
“It’s a heater-hunting league, especially when you throw a hard heater. Guys are trying to hit the heater, it’s no secret,” Kuhl said. “Throwing that 1/8slider 3/8 a ton. Feel really comfortable with it. It’s gotten me out of some really big jams, gotten me some strikeouts and some early action. It kind of does both for me. Just being able to throw that in any count has been huge.”
Against Milwaukee, Kuhl is 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA, and the Pirates are 6-0 in his starts. This season, he gave up one hit and tied a career high with eight strikeouts over seven scoreless innings May 6 in a 9-0 win.
“When you know you’ve had success and remember some pitches that may have worked for you, you’re able to use that to your advantage
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Suter is 1-0 with 1.80 ERA in eight games — three starts — against the Pirates.
Cole Hamels helped the Texas Rangers keep rolling against a Kansas City Royals team caught in a freefall.
Hamels allowed four singles over seven innings, Delino DeShields doubled home two runs and the Rangers beat the Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.
The Royals have lost eight straight, matching their season high, and 14 of 15. They own a major league-worst 10-28 home record, and their 22-51 overall mark is the worst in franchise history after 73 games.
Hamels (4-6) picked up his first win since May 22. The run off him in the fifth was unearned, and he has yet to allow an earned run in 20 innings over three starts at Kauffman Stadium.
”To be able to get the runs that we did in the second and third, that was huge,” Hamels said. ”Just to kind of let you settle down and I felt good from there.”
Keone Kela pitched a spotless ninth for his 17th save in as many chances.
DeShields’ second-inning double scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Robinson Chirinos.
Kiner-Falefa, who had three hits and walked
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”Early in the day he (Kiner-Falefa) wasn’t initially in the lineup, but it’s a testament to what he does every single day, the professionalism he shows up with, even as a young player, a rookie player, he comes prepared,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ”He was one of the first players at the ballpark ready to play and he came up big for us tonight with the doubles.”
Royals starter Jason Hammel (2-8) was removed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Hammel is 0-6 in nine home starts since an Aug. 20 victory over Cleveland.
”Four walks and two of them came around to score,” Hammel said. ”That’s the thing that will irk me as I’m trying to sleep. I had trouble gripping the ball the first few innings. I was just sweating like a dog. It’s an excuse. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole career. I sweat a lot.”
Rosell Herrera’s two-out double in the fifth scored Alex Gordon with the Kansas City run.
Whit Merrifield led off the Royals’ first with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and stole third with none out
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”We’ve hit into our 73rd double play of the year, something crazy,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. ”It just boggles your mind that that has happened so many times.”
Gordon picked up his seventh outfield assist of the season, throwing out Elvis Andrus trying to score from second on Profar’s ninth-inning single.
GAME TWO TIDBITS
The Rangers have more than half of their 31 victories in the second games of series. They are 16-8 in Game 2s.
JUST LIKE DAD
Adalberto Mondesi doubled off Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon on Monday. His father Raul Mondesi went 2 for 11 off Colon. The Mondesi family is the fourth father-son combo to each record a plate appearance against the 45-year-old pitcher.
ROSTER MOVES
Rangers: LHP Yohander Mendez was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after violating team rules. RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was recalled from the same club. … Texas traded RHP Deck McGuire to the Los Angeles Angels for cash or a player to be named.
Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts. He will be used in relief.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: 1B Lucas Duda (right foot plantar fasciitis) went 2 for 5 with a three-run homer and a double in Omaha’s 9-2 victory Tuesday in Reno in his second minor league rehab game. OF Jorge Bonifacio, who is suspended for the first 80 games for violating the MLB’s drug policy, is hitting .448 in seven games with Omaha.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Bibens-Dirkx (0-1, 6.55) will start the series finale. He went 2-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 11 starts with Round Rock.
Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (5-7, 4.43) has lost his past four decisions. He has never faced the Rangers.
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