Ashcraft Faces Nola as Phillies Vs Pirates Opens at PNC Park

phillies vs pirates opens Friday at PNC Park, with Braxton Ashcraft starting for Pittsburgh and Aaron Nola going for Philadelphia at 6:40 p.m. ET. The three-game series begins with the Pirates at 24-20 and fourth in the NL Central, while the Phillies enter at 21-23 and second in the NL East.

Ashcraft Meets Nola

Ashcraft brings a 2-2 record and a 2.77 ERA to the mound for Pittsburgh. Nola counters with a 2-3 record and a 5.14 ERA for Philadelphia, giving the opener a clear pitching matchup at the front of the series.

That start matters because Friday is the first game of a three-game set, so both clubs get an early read on how the rotation lines up against a division opponent. Pittsburgh has the better record, but Philadelphia sits higher in its division, which makes the opener a clean test of where each team stands right now.

PNC Park Opening Night

The game is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET at PNC Park. For fans following the series opener, that gives a fixed starting point for the matchup and a direct look at the two starters before the rest of the series unfolds.

The Pirates also list Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list with a foot infection, Jake Mangum on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring injury, Chris Devenski on the 15-day injured list with an illness, Jared Jones on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury, Kyle Backhus on the 15-day injured list with an elbow injury, Zach Pop on the 15-day injured list with a calf injury, and Max Lazar on the 60-day injured list with an oblique injury. That injury list trims the pitching and position-player mix around Ashcraft’s start and leaves Pittsburgh to manage the opener with several names already unavailable.

Friday’s result will set the tone for the rest of the three-game series, and the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET gives both teams a quick chance to establish control at PNC Park.