Veteran lefties clash as Phillies try to level set vs. Pirates

Philadelphia left-hander Ranger Suarez has been a good remedy for the Phillies as they continue to deal with injuries to several starting pitchers.

Suarez will try to lead the Phillies to a bounce back win on Saturday afternoon when he opposes Pirates lefty Andrew Heaney in the second game of a three-game series in Pittsburgh.

Suarez (4-0, 2.72 ERA) beat Heaney (3-4, 3.39) the first time they matched up on May 16.

In seven innings, Suarez allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out six in an 8-4 Phillies win. Heaney permitted one run on four hits and three walks and struck out two over five innings in a no-decision.

After the Phillies implemented a bullpen start on Friday that ended with a 5-4 walk-off win for the Pirates, Suarez will try to stay unbeaten since he returned from a lower back injury on May 4.

Philadelphia’s injury woes aren’t limited to its rotation, though.

The Phillies played on Friday without Bryce Harper, who is nursing a right wrist ailment.

It was unclear if the injury was related to the right elbow injury Harper sustained on May 27 when he was hit by a fastball from the Atlanta Braves’ Spencer Strider. Harper sat out five games after that injury occurred but returned and played in all three games against the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said it’s a day-to-day situation with the two-time National League MVP.

“It’s been sore for a while,” Thomson said before the Friday game. “He’s been fighting through it.”

Suarez has allowed only one earned run over his past 19 2/3 innings. He is 2-0 with an 0.48 ERA over his past three starts, with 16 strikeouts and six walks over 18 2/3 innings.

The 29-year-old veteran yielded two runs (one earned) on seven hits and no walks while striking out two over six-plus innings on Sunday in a game the Phillies lost 5-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Heaney didn’t get a decision in his most recent start, a 6-4 Pittsburgh loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday. He allowed two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out three over 5 2/3 innings.

The Pirates have struggled all season when it comes to providing their starters run support. Overall, though, they are showing some signs of improvement since promoting Don Kelly to manager after firing Derek Shelton on May 8.

Of the Pirates’ 26 games since the managerial change, 12 have been one-run games. Pittsburgh is 6-6 in those games and is 12-14 overall since Kelly took over. The team was 12-26 prior to the move.

Nick Gonzales’ return has also been a spark for the Pirates.

Playing in his fourth game of the season since recovering from a broken left ankle, Gonzales hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth on Friday, lifting Pittsburgh to a 5-4 walk-off victory. The Pirates fell behind three times in the first four innings only to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame each time.

“That’s a pretty good team over there, so to be right there with them pitch for pitch and find a way to come through, I’m proud of the guys, the way they’re bouncing back,” Kelly said.

–Field Level Media