--LHP John Grabow's 2.88 ERA is second among National League left-handed relievers with at least 65 innings pitched behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo, who has a 1.69 mark. Grabow's ERA is 1.93 since the beginning of July, second among all NL left-handers with at least 30 innings pitched to the 1.81 mark of Milwaukee's C.C. Sabathia.
--CF Nate McLouth is a candidate to become the Pirates' first Gold Glove winner since shortstop Jay Bell in 1993 as he has yet to make an error this season in 144 games and 363 chances. The last Pirates outfielders to win Gold Gloves were Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke in 1992. --2B Freddy Sanchez is hitting .267, which is 43 points under his career .310 average coming into this season. However, he is hitting .344 in 52 games since the All-Star break to raise his average 41 points from .226.
--LHP Sean Burnett has held left-handed batters to a .159 batting averages in 67 at bats this season. However, right-handers are hitting Burnett at a .318 clip in 132 at bats.
--RHP Jeff Karstens will start Tuesday night at Milwaukee looking to snap a six-game losing streak. Karstens is 2-6 and has not won since taking a perfect game into the eighth inning before settling for a two-hit shutout at Arizona on Aug. 6 in his second start after being acquired from the New York Yankees in a July 26 trade.
BY THE NUMBERS: .276 -- The Pirates' batting average with runners in scoring position through Friday, second in the National League to the Chicago Cubs' .278.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We've had our moments where we haven't looked like a good major-league team but not that many. Our guys have played hard all year. They've prepared well and they've never given up. I don't have a problem with the effort." -- Manager John Russell, when it was suggested his team might be "mailing it in" by going 14-32 in its first 46 games after trading star left fielder Jason Bay to Boston on July 31.
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