Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Pirates SP Zach Duke shut out the Braves for five innings Thursday, but gave up three runs on three hits and a fielding error by Jack Wilson in the sixth. He was on the hook for the 3-2 loss before Pittsburgh rallied in the seventh. Duke allowed 10 hits and three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one. He opens with a 3.18 ERA. Duke looked Thursday more like the kid who posted a 1.81 ERA in 2005, than the guy who struggled with a 5.53 ERA in 2007. That’s a good sign that he might be over the elbow problems that plagued him last season. Duke might be on the right track to reviving his career, but until we a consistent pitcher, he is more of a low-end NL-only Fantasy option. Manager John Russell likely left Duke in the game too long, but showed confidence in him by letting him try to get out of his sixth-inning jam. Duke threw 116 pitches against Atlanta and featured a fastball that regularly hit 90-92 mph, several mph faster than last year. His next scheduled start is for Wednesday against the Cubs. He was 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in two starts against the Cubbies last season.  (CBS Sports, Rotowire)

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