Just checked the radar, like I seemingly always do before a baseball game these days, and it looks like the gloominess that’s enveloping City Stadium right now is about to pass, and there doesn’t appear to be a lot of rain behind it on the I-81 corridor. So the first game of a pivotal three-game set between the top two teams in the Carolina League North will be played. Lynchburg enters play today with a four-game lead over Potomac, and should the Hillcats sweep this set—or even take two out of three—it could be enough distance to start to think Lynchburg’s spot in the Carolina League playoffs will be safe.

After this weekend, only 21 games remain for Lynchburg in the first half. Potomac will have 23 games left.

Onto some quickie pre-game notes:

* The Pirates made a roster move today, promoting RHP Moises Robles to Double-A Altoona and re-assigning RHP Christian Castorri back to Lynchburg. Robles made six appearances for the Hillcats, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs in 10 innings. He walked four and struck out three. Castorri, who began the year in Lynchburg, well, REALLY struggled in Pennsylvania, as his line will bear out—1-1 with a 17.36 ERA. In 4 2/3 innings, opponents hit .500 against Castorri.

* As if to hammer home the point that High-A baseball is all about player development, Hillcats manager P.J. Forbes offered a simple answer when asked about the Potomac series last night.

“We haven’t even talked about it,“ he said. “It’s just another game.“

* Pedro Alvarez (sore arm) is back at third base tonight for the first time in a week. Ray Chang will start at designated hitter.

* Stat of the night—Chang has 24 RBIs this season in just 81 at-bats. Only two Potomac players have more than 24 RBIs—Michael Burgess (27) and Chris Marrero (29). And both are everyday players.

* One of the reasons why the Hillcats are playing so well is solid team chemistry. It helps that Lynchburg is one of the few teams in the league not to have a star player promoted this season. Salem lost Ryan Kalish. Winston-Salem lost Jordan Danks. Kinston lost Matt McBride. Two Hillcats would seemingly be in line for a promotion—Alvarez and Miles Durham. But Alvarez still must refine his swing and work on his plate discipline and his defense. And Durham is caught by the Pirates’ logjam of outfielders high up in the Pittsburgh system.

“This is as close as we’ve ever been,“ said Hillcats pitcher Matt McSwain, who improved to 5-1 Thursday. “I haven’t seen it on a team I’ve been on yet. It makes it fun to be in the clubhouse, come to the field, play the game. We play the game the right way. It’s just a great clubhouse.“

*****

Now, a quick look at the Pirates’ top 30 prospects, as rated by Baseball America.

Team key: PIT—Pirates; IND - Triple-A Indianapolis; ALT - Double-A Altoona; LYN - Lynchburg; WV - Low-A West Virginia.

1. Pedro Alvarez (3B, LYN)—.242 AVG, 8 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 40 RBIs, 1 SB, 48 K

2. Andrew McCutchen (LF, IND)—.296 AVG, 9 2B, 8 3B, 3 HR, 19 RBIs, 10 SB, 19 K

3. Jose Tabata (OF, ALT, currently on 7-day DL)—.250 AVG, 3 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 SB

4. Brad Lincoln (RHP, ALT)—1-3, 2.45 ERA, 52 2/3 IP, .223 AVG against, 12 BB, 45 K

5. Bryan Morris (RHP, LYN, currently on 7-day DL)—has not pitched

6. Neil Walker (3B, IND)—.238 AVG, 14 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 26 RBIs, 3 SB, 32 K

7. Jeff Sues (RHP, ALT)—1-2, 5.04 ERA, 30 1/3 IP, .219 AVG against, 10 BB, 28 K

8. Shelby Ford (2B, ALT)—.179 AVG, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 14 RBIs, 2 BB, 27 K, 3 SB

9. Daniel McCutchen (RHP, IND)—2-3, 3.83 ERA, 44 2/3 IP, 15 BB, 41 K

10. Robbie Grossman (OF, WV)—.270 AVG, 10 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBIs, 13 SB, 60 K

11. Jamie Romak (OF/1B, ALT)—.163 AVG, 9 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBIs, 46 K

12. Jimmy Barthmaier (RHP)—Released by Indianapolis

13. Jarek Cunningham (3B/SS)—Has not played

14. Brian Friday (SS, ALT, currently on 7-day DL)—.341 AVG, 4 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 SB

15. Jordy Mercer (SS, LYN)—.246 AVG, 14 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 28 RBIs, 5 SB

16. Quinton Miller (RHP)—Has not played

17. Chad D’Arnaud (SS, WV)—.299 AVG, 10 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 23 RBIs, 8 SB

18. Ronald Uviedo (RHP, LYN)—2-2, 3.69 ERA, 46 1/3 IP, 8 BB, 40 K

19. Daniel Moskos (LHP, ALT)—2-4, 4.53 ERA, 45 2/3 IP, 17 BB, 17 K

20. Wesley Freeman (OF)—Has not played

21. Steve Lerud (C, ALT)—.245 AVG, 4 2B, 0 3B, 9 RBIs, 1 SB

22. Evan Meek (RHP, PIT)—0-0, 2.87 ERA, 15 2/3 IP, 14 BB, 10 K

23. Matt Hague (1B, LYN)—.281 AVG, 10 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBIs, 25 K, 1 SB

24. Jim Negrych (2B, ALT)—.301 AVG, 8 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 9 K, 1 SB

25. Romulo Sanchez (RHP)—Sent to the Yankees in a minor-league trade

26. Donald Veal (LHP, PIT)—0-0, 4.15 ERA, 4 1/3 IP, 9 BB, 4 K

27. Brian Bixler (SS, IND)—.226 AVG, 9 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 11 RBIs, 37 K, 4 SB

28. Jason Jaramillo (C, PIT)—.271 AVG, 8 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBIs, 8 K, 1 SB

29. Justin Wilson (LHP, LYN)—2-3, 7.08 ERA, 34 1/3 IP, 14 BB, 27 K, .311 AVG against

30. Nelson Pereira (LHP)—Has not played