The Pittsburgh Pirates welcome the Detroit Tigers to PNC Park on Tuesday, August 18, for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch. Braxton Ashcraft takes the ball for Pittsburgh opposite Detroit's Keider Montero in a regular season mid-August matchup that carries real weight for both clubs. Coverage is available locally on SportsNet Pittsburgh and on Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan. This is a chance for the Pirates to protect home turf in front of their PNC Park crowd, and the lineup manager Derek Shelton has put together suggests the organization wants to make a statement.

Starting Pitchers: Braxton Ashcraft vs. Keider Montero

Braxton Ashcraft gets the call for Pittsburgh. The right-hander is one of the more intriguing arms in the Pirates system who has made his way to a big-league role, and this start gives him a chance to prove he belongs in the rotation conversation for the stretch run. His ability to command the strike zone and generate soft contact will be tested against a Tigers lineup that has legitimate threats throughout the order.

Detroit counters with Keider Montero, the Venezuelan right-hander who has shown flashes of quality stuff at the big-league level. Montero can be effective when he's locating his pitches, but Pittsburgh's lineup has the capability to make him work deep into counts and drive up his pitch count early. If the Pirates can get to the Tigers bullpen before the sixth inning, this game tilts their way.

Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup

• Spencer Horwitz — 1B
• Brandon Lowe — 2B
• Bryan Reynolds — DH
• Esmerlyn Valdez — RF
• Oneil Cruz — CF
• Jake Mangum — LF
• Rafael Flores Jr. — C
• Jacob Gonzalez — SS
• Jared Triolo — 3B

Detroit Tigers Starting Lineup

• Gleyber Torres — 2B
• Kevin McGonigle — 3B
• Colt Keith — DH
• Eduardo Valencia — C
• Zach McKinstry — RF
• Spencer Torkelson — 1B
• Brett Callahan — LF
• Max Clark — CF
• Javier Báez — SS

Three Keys to Watch Tuesday Night

Bryan Reynolds and the Heart of the Order

Reynolds hitting third as the designated hitter puts him in a position to do serious damage with Horwitz and Lowe setting the table ahead of him. How Reynolds performs in run-scoring situations will go a long way toward determining whether Pittsburgh cashes in scoring opportunities against Montero.

Oneil Cruz's Presence in Center Field

Cruz moving to center field keeps his elite athleticism in play at a premium defensive position. His arm is a weapon, and on a night when Ashcraft needs to minimize extra bases, having Cruz tracking balls in center is a legitimate advantage for Pittsburgh.

Ashcraft's Command in the Early Innings

Detroit's lineup isn't without danger. Gleyber Torres leading off and Colt Keith hitting third means Ashcraft cannot afford to be mistake-prone in the first two times through the order. If he can navigate the Tigers' top half cleanly and keep the ball in the park, Pittsburgh's offense has more than enough firepower to win this game.

Prediction

The edge goes to the Pirates at home. PNC Park has a way of energizing this roster, and with Reynolds, Cruz, and Valdez capable of putting up runs in bunches, Pittsburgh has the offensive upside to cover for any early-inning shakiness from Ashcraft. Expect a competitive game that stays within two runs deep into the seventh before Pittsburgh finds a way to close it out. Pirates 5, Tigers 3.