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Cervelli gets new perspective

By John Mehno

For the Mirror

PITTSBURGH — Francisco Cervelli usually gets a day off when the Pirates play a day game after a night game.

On Sunday, though, he got a different spot in the lineup.

Cervelli led off for the first time in his career, going 1-for-4 in the Pirates’ 5-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Manager Clint Hurdle wanted to keep Cervelli’s hot bat in the lineup. With today’s scheduled open date, he felt comfortable playing Cervelli on a 14-hour turnaround.

“I thought about and today just seemed like a day where it fit,” Hurdle said.

It didn’t turn out that way. Cervelli struck out three times, walked and hit a double in the ninth inning.

Waiting for Taillon

The Pirates don’t know if Jameson Taillon will be ready to make his scheduled start Wednesday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox.

Taillon cut his right hand while pitching on Friday night and had to leave the game after three innings.

If he can’t go, Nick Kingham could be called up to replace him. Kingham is currently scheduled to start Saturday against the San Diego Padres. Steven Brault is also a candidate to make the start.

It appears there’s a good chance the Pirates will skip Taillon through this turn of the rotation.

“You’d always rather err on the side of conservatism,” general manager Neal Huntington said.

Kang update

Infielder Jung Ho Kang completed his first week of workouts in Florida.

Huntington said Kang, “has taken a ton of ground balls.” The next step is to have Kang play games in the Pirates’ extended spring training program. No timetable has been announced for that.

“So far, so good,” is the way Huntington described Kang’s work to date.

New order?

Hurdle seemed to suggest there’s a chance he could move George Kontos out of his eighth inning relief role.

The likely switch would have Kontos trade places with Michael Feliz, who usually works the seventh inning.

Kontos has been scored upon in three of his last four appearances.

No reunion

Huntington was asked if he had a chance to catch up with Andrew McCutchen during the Giants’ weekend visit.

“I think I’m probably the last person he wants to see,” Huntington said.

Huntington made the trade that sent McCutchen to San Francisco in January.

Perfection

Joe Musgrove made another rehab start for Indianapolis on Saturday, and Hurdle was able to watch it on TV while the teams waited out a rain delay.

It was quite a show. Musgrove didn’t allow a base runner over 52/3 innings.

“All the pitches worked,” Hurdle said. “Our plan is still to get him out for six (innings) and 100 (pitches) the next time.”

Saluting Mom

The Pirates brought in many mothers of the players and staff.

They threw a group first pitch to their sons in honor of Mothers Day.

Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com

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