Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves Pick Center

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Musgrove, Gausman set for rematch as Braves host PiratesFLMPittsburgh right-hander Joe Musgrove will try to pick up where he left off last week when the Pirates open a four-game series at the Atlanta Braves on Monday.Musgrove (4-6, 4.44 ERA) will face Atlanta right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-5, 6.15), a rematch of Wednesday's game that Pittsburgh won 7-4. The Pirates took two out of three games in their first series against the Braves.Atlanta is coming off a 4-2 road trip that concluded with a three-game sweep in Miami. The Braves scored four runs in the ninth inning Sunday against the Marlins and eventually won the game 7-6 in 12 innings. Atlanta improved to 8-1 against Miami.The Pirates were swept in three games by the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, a bad start to the club's 10-game road trip. Pittsburgh gave up five unanswered runs over the Brewers' final three at-bats and dropped a 5-2 decision on Sunday.Musgrove snapped a personal two-game losing streak by beating the Braves in his last outing. He pitched eight innings and allowed three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six. He left after giving up back-to-back homers to Ronald Acuna Jr. and Dansby Swanson in the ninth inning.Musgrove's effort was the first quality start for the Pirates since May 19, when he had limited San Diego to four runs (three earned) in 6 1/3 innings."We needed a start like that, and he went out and gave us one," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Super strong effort." It was a nice bounce-back for Musgrove, who had an 8.10 ERA in six starts in May. He threw 99 pitches against the Braves and worked into the ninth inning for the first time in his major league career."This is something I can build on and something I can turn my season around with," Musgrove said.Musgrove is 2-0 with a 4.12 ERA in three career starts against the Braves. The other two starts came when he was a member of the Houston Astros.Gausman needs a good performance to turn around his season -- or at least avoid an assignment to the Atlanta bullpen. The veteran could be the odd man out of the rotation since the Braves signed free agent starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel.Gausman has struggled in his last two starts, allowing a combined 15 runs over six innings. That sent his ERA soaring from 4.33 to 6.15. In last week's start against the Pirates, he battled through five innings and allowed seven runs on 12 hits, two of them home runs."I think it's a mixture of me not making pitches when I need to," Gausman said. "I feel like I'm right where I need to be, but the results aren't saying I am." Gausman has made five career appearances against the Pirates, all starts. He's 1-2 with a 5.46 ERA against Pittsburgh.Atlanta is now a season-best seven games over .500. The Braves are 18-9 since moving center fielder Acuna to the leadoff spot and shortstop Swanson to the No. 2 hole.--Field Level Media

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