Pirates-Cardinals probable starters, more on this week's sweep

MILWAUKEE -- Here are the probables for this weekend’s series.

Friday: LHP J.A. Happ (3-1, 1.98) for the Pirates; RHP Carlos Martinez (13-6, 2.91) for the Cardinals.

Saturday: RHP Charlie Morton (8-6, 4.22) for the Pirates; LHP Jaime Garcia (7-4, 2.03) for the Cardinals.

Sunday: RHP Gerrit Cole (15-8, 2.64) for the Pirates; RHP John Lackey (11-8, 2.87) for the Cardinals.

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Francisco Liriano and Clint Hurdle both don’t think Liriano’s control problems were systemic. They felt they resulted from not getting A) calls on the corners or B) swings at borderline pitches.

“I don’t know because I feel like I’m just missing the strike zone by a little bit, not way up or way down,” Liriano said.

Liriano had a 4.94 ERA in August and walked 15 batters in 271/3 innings, but said he felt healthy. Hurdle said the velocity -- Liriano hit 95 mph Thursday -- and spin rates on his breaking pitches showed no red flags.

“Sometimes they just have bad months,” Hurdle said. 

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Jordy Mercer went 2 for 2 with two doubles Thursday night. In eight games since returning from the DL he is hitting .400 (8 for 20).

“The knee’s responding really well,” Mercer said. “My timing feels really good, I feel like I’m in a good spot. The last couple games in triple-A was when I just started feeling really good and I carried it over to here.”

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The Pirates trail the Cardinals by 61/2 games and have six more games head-to-head against them.

“I hear a lot, well, you’re chasing the Cardinals, does that frustrate you? Absolutely not,” Hurdle said. “There’s so much positive going on, there’s so much work to be done … everything starts with a thought. If your first thought in the morning when you wake up is that somebody else is frustrating you because they’re playing well, you’re missing the whole point of playing the game. Our focus needs to be on us playing better.”

Game story: Pirates swept in Milwaukee -- again.

Notebook: Cardinals series awaits; McCutchen sits. 

Coverage of the Brewers from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.