Weaver will try to bounce back as Cardinals look to avoid being swept by Pirates
After years of setbacks worked against right-hander Nick Kingham, circumstances that finally are in his favor have led to him getting a start in his major league debut Sunday for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.
Kingham, 26, will be called up from Triple-A Indianapolis and make a spot start for Pittsburgh. The rotation became taxed when the Pirates played three games in less than 24 hours Wednesday and Thursday, thanks to a rainout, doubleheader and afternoon game.
Manager Clint Hurdle ruled out using a bullpen arm, otherwise Tyler Glasnow might have been called upon.
Kingham was a 2010 fourth-round draft pick by the Pirates, the same year as promising young Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon. Then came trouble that included Tommy John surgery, a sprained ankle and an exhaustion of minor league options.
He qualified for a rare fourth option year this spring and has made the most of it, going 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA with Indianapolis. He has 27 strikeouts and seven walks in 22 2/3 innings.
"I couldn't be more excited. I couldn't be more prepared, I feel like, to come in and finally pitch at the big-league level," Kingham said Saturday, already in Pittsburgh. "I think the length (of time) it took me to get here has made me who I am, made me even more prepared than I ever would have been. So I'm excited. I'm ready. Let's just do it."
Kingham, who is 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, already is on the 40-man roster, another thing that breaks well for him after the delays in his development.
Kingham will oppose St. Louis right-hander Luke Weaver (2-1, 4.85 ERA) Sunday.
In Weaver, Kingham will be matched against a pitcher who had control issues his last time out.
Pittsburgh (16-11) has won four games in a row and will be going for a sweep of its three-game series against the Cardinals (15-11) at PNC Park.
"We want to win," Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli said after he hit a solo homer and drove in another run Saturday in a 6-2 win. "That's what we want to do. We come here to compete every day and play baseball. We don't come here to just put (on) the uniform. We come here to win."
In what became a 6-5 extra-inning St. Louis loss Tuesday to the New York Mets. Weaver walked a career-high six batters. That helped account for giving up four runs on just two hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The walks surprised Weaver, who is known for his precision.
"I don't know what it was -- working too quick, out of breath, not really taking a moment to figure it out," he said. "The game kind of sped up there, and I never found out."
Against the Pirates, Weaver is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA in three career appearances, two starts, with 14 hits and 13 strikeouts and just two walks -- in 11 1/3 innings.
