While waiting for the first pitch...

The Orioles and Pirates have a 12:35 p.m. game today at PNC Park, which means an early lineup posting and a free night. I'm talking about myself. I don't care what they do. Zach Britton is taking the mound for the 15th time today. Nine of his outings have resulted in quality starts. I'd settle for him getting through the game without an injury. Brad Bergesen probably woke up with a bruise on the right side of his back after being nailed by Jose Tabata's liner last night. I've woke up with a lot worse, but I digress... Former Padres right-hander Kevin Correia starts for the Pirates today. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last six starts. Correia has a 5.54 ERA at home and opponents are batting .318 against him. His ERA is 2.34 on the road and opponents are batting .214. His ERA is 4.01 during the day and 3.27 at night. The Orioles might be catching him at the right time. Could this be the day that Blake Davis makes his first major league start? Seems like an opportune time to stick him at second base. Mark Reynolds easily has the most at-bats against Correia. He's 9-for-38 with a double, three homers, five RBIs and 17 strikeouts. Reynolds went 2-for-3 with a walk last night. His .226 average is the highest it's been since April 17. But error No. 16 came at a bad time. The Orioles lost last night while wearing their throwback uniforms, but I love the cartoon bird on the black cap. And the Pirates should stick with their 1971 attire. It's a good look. My thoughts keep going back to Game 2 of the 1971 World Series at Memorial Stadium. It was the first game I ever attended, and the Orioles won, 11-3, with Jim Palmer on the mound and two guys named "Robinson" combining for six hits. A rainout pushed it to Monday afternoon, so I got to miss a day of school and hang out with my father. That will forever be one of the greatest days of my life. Did I say that I missed a day of school in 1971? What I meant to say is I was an infant, much too young to be watching baseball. It was "Umbilical Cord Day" at the ballpark, and mine was still attached. A hotdog vendor was nice enough to heat up my bottle. Anyway, this series brings back wonderful memories for a father and son. It appears that Chris Jakubauskas will work on normal rest and make Friday night's start against the Reds, pushing Brian Matusz to Saturday or Sunday. And Jake Arrieta could be pushed back or skipped, which is easily done with tomorrow's off day. Showalter is a big supporter of Jakubauskas, and it was evident back in spring training. He'd always bring up Jakubauskas' name. And he appreciates how the right-hander commands his fastball and works at a nice pace. Down on the farm, Double-A Bowie's LJ Hoes had five hits last night. Rhyne Hughes went 4-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs for Triple-A Norfolk.