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Pirates seek to rebound behind Volquez in finale with Braves

Sep 25, 2014 - 2:53 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Following a missed opportunity, the Pittsburgh Pirates turn to Edinson Volquez on Thursday evening in the finale of a four-game set with the Atlanta Braves.

The Pirates have already clinched at least a wild card spot in the upcoming playoffs and trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games for first place in the National League Central.

The Cardinals, who are idle today, were defeated by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, but the Pirates suffered a 6-2 loss to the Braves and missed out on a chance to close the gap.

Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning for the Pirates, who already trailed 6-0 at that point and ended up with only their fourth loss in 19 games.

Atlanta broke out of its recent slump by knocking around Pittsburgh starter Jeff Locke for six runs on eight hits and five walks over the first four innings. The Braves had gone 11 games without scoring more than three runs and went 1-10 during that stretch.

"Locke didn't throw the way we're used to him throwing," McCutchen said. "He just gave up a few runs and we weren't able to come back from an offensive standpoint. We're just trying to go out there and win. We weren't able to get it tonight."

Also of some concern was catcher Russell Martin exiting early with a tight right hamstring. It is unknown if he will be behind the plate tonight to catch Volquez, who has not lost since July 21.

Volquez is coming off a touch-luck no-decision versus Milwaukee on Saturday. The right-hander hurled seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball, walking three and striking out six in his club's 1-0 loss. It was his third scoreless outing in his past nine starts, a span in which Volquez is 4-0 with a 0.59 earned run average.

Volquez is 12-7 with a 3.15 ERA on the year and 2-3 lifetime versus the Braves with a 3.86 ERA in six starts.

Atlanta broke out on Wednesday thanks to Justin Upton's two-run homer and Emilio Bonifacio's two-run single. The outburst provided Julio Teheran with some well deserved run support and the right-hander even helped himself with a two-run single.

Teheran only lasted five innings but picked up the win after giving up two runs on six hits and three walks.

"We know if we can get him comfortable he is going to be pretty good," Upton said of Teheran. "We got some early runs. He settled in. He did a great job."

David Hale will hope that the Braves offense has some more life in it tonight as he steps in for Mike Minor, who was shut down due to a sore left shoulder.

Minor lasted just one inning on Saturday versus the New York Mets, with Hale relieving him and giving up two runs over three innings on five hits and two walks.

The right-handed Hale, who turns 27 on Sunday, is 4-4 with a 3.27 ERA in 44 games this season, including five starts. He has faced the Pirates twice in relief, but will face them for the first time as a starter.

Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison is hitless in one at-bat versus Hale and is batting just .184 in 11 games versus Atlanta. However, he went 1-for-5 on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight and his .316 batting average trails only Colorado's Justin Morneau (.317) for tops in the NL.

The Braves won two of three in Pittsburgh from Aug. 18-20.