The Pirates pitching homecoming continues Saturd

On Friday D.K. Metcalf Jersey , two San Diego County natives — and former high school teammates — pitched for Pittsburgh in downtown San Diego. Starter Joe Musgrove and reliever Steven Brault were raised a half-hour’s drive to the east of Petco Park.

Saturday night, the focus shifts to northern San Diego County as Rancho Bernardo High grad Trevor Williams starts for the Pirates against his hometown club.

While Musgrove and Brault were facing the Padres for the first time, the 26-year-old Williams pitched six innings against the Padres on May 20 in Pittsburgh. He gave up four runs on four hits — including a two-run homer to Christian Villanueva — in six innings but did not get a decision in a game won by the Padres, 8-5.

The right-handed Williams (6-5, 4.03 ERA in 16 starts) will be opposed by left-handed rookie Joey Lucchesi (3-3, 3.57 ERA). Lucchesi had just gone on the disabled list with a strained glute muscle when the Padres visited Pittsburgh in May.

Williams started the season with three straight wins but is 1-3 with a 6.09 ERA over his last seven starts. However, he allowed only one hit with seven strikeouts in seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers two starts ago on June 18. That happened to be his only win since May 15.

Saturday night will be his eighth road start of the season. He is 2-2 with a 4.42 ERA on the road. But he is 0-2 with a 7.23 ERA in his last four road starts after opening the season with a 2-0 mark and a 1.50 ERA in his first three road starts.

Williams is coming off a loss in his most recent start against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Sunday afternoon. Williams gave up three runs on five hits in six innings while the Pirates were being shutout.

Lucchesi, 25, will be making his third start since returning from the disabled list June 20.

His first outing on the day he was activated lasted only 1 2/3 innings as he gave up four runs on three hits — including two homers — and two walks in just 1 2/3 innings against Oakland. On June 26 http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cody-barton-jersey , Lucchesi allowed no runs and only one hit and two walks with four strikeouts in Texas, but came out of the game after four innings when he reached his pre-set limit of 70 pitches.

Padres manager Andy Green said Lucchesi now has the green light to go deeper into Saturday’s game if the performance merits it.

Saturday will be Lucchesi’s 12th start around his 33-game stay on the disabled list. At the time of his injury, Lucchesi was 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA in nine starts – although his ERA had climbed in five of his six starts before going in the disabled list. The Padres are 4-7 in games started by Lucchesi — who has given up 10 home runs in 53 innings, accounting for 15 of the 23 runs he has allowed.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe they accomplished their major goals of upgrading the defensive line and a porous secondary through the draft after going 5-11 and missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.The Buccaneers added more defensive pieces Saturday, taking Pitt safety Jordan Whitehead in the fourth round and Wisconsin linebacker Jack Cichy during the sixth.“Thirty-one teams passed up (taking me) so I’ve got a chip on my shoulder coming in already,” Whitehead said.Cichy didn’t play in 2017 because of a knee injury that occurred in preseason camp.“I feel great,” he said. “I’m real close to 100 percent. I think by the time I get down there for minicamp and OTAs I’ll be 100 percent.”Tampa Bay used its first-round pick Thursday to take Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea 12th overall. He will be plugged into a revamped defensive line anchored by six-time Pro Bowl tackle Gerald McCoy and bolstered by last month’s trade for pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul and the signing of Beau Allen, Vinny Curry and Mitch Unrein in free agency.Tampa Bay ranked last in the NFL with 23 sacks a year ago.The Buccaneers used a pair of second-round selections Friday to take cornerbacks M.J. Stewart from North Carolina and Auburn’s Carlton Davis.“We feel great Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey ,” Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht said. “There’s more of a better vibe, not that it was ever bad, more high-fives and more positive energy with all the coaches and scouts this year than I can remember.”LEARNING CURVEBucs coach Dirk Koetter knows that 6-foot-6, 304-pound guard Alex Cappa, taken in the third round from Division II Humboldt State, will be facing a major step-up in competition. “That’s a different level of football,” Koetter said. “Right when his season was over, he goes down to Phoenix and works out at an O-line place with a bunch of NFL guys. He’s the right kind of guy but there’s definitely a transition.”Tampa Bay has had previous drafting success with small-school offensive lineman, taking starting guard Ali Marpet from Division III Hobart College in the second round of the 2015 draft.FAMILY AFFAIRFormer Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis is Whitehead’s cousin.“He gave me a lot of advice going through this process http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-phil-haynes-jersey ,” Whitehead said. “Stay humble, anything can happen throughout this weekend.”FASTER THAN YOU MIGHT THINKSecond-round selection Ronald Jones II from USC is an explosive runner who the Buccaneers feel is faster than generally known.“He’s got track times, the ran guy 10.3-something 100-meters and multiple 10.5’s,” Koetter said. “He runs hard. He’s going to bring something.”HIGH GRADESThe Buccaneers took Penn wide receiver Justin Watson in the fifth round. He will graduate after taking his last final Wednesday at Penn’s Wharton School.“I didn’t have a lot of I-A offers, in fact the only two offers I had at the I-A level were Buffalo and Akron out of the MAC,” Watson said. “For me, Penn was just the best fit for both football and academics.”STILL NEEDTampa Bay could look to add depth at safety and the offensive line before the start of training camp.