Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 7, Philadelphia 2

It will be a matchup of quality left-handers on Wednesday when Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano takes on Philadelphia's ace Cole Hamels in the third of four straight meetings in the City of Brotherly Love. Liriano's Pirates have taken the first two games of the set and have won four consecutive contests overall following Tuesday's 7-2 victory.

Josh Harrison's three-run homer was the big blow as Pittsburgh scored seven runs for the third time in the last six contests. The Phillies have been held to three runs or fewer nine times in their last 13 games as the worst offense in the majors continues to falter. After producing a total of 18 runs while going 1-6 against the Pirates in 2014, Philadelphia has been limited to five in dropping the first two encounters this season. One silver lining has been the slight uptick for veteran second baseman Chase Utley, who is 4-for-11 with an RBI over the last four games since an 0-for-4 effort against the New York Mets on Friday dropped his average to .099.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (1-2, 2.79 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (2-3, 3.68)

Liriano was roughed up for the first time this season Friday against St. Louis, giving up two homers and six runs (five earned) overall in 6 1/3 innings. He did strike out a season-high 10 while walking one and entered Tuesday night's action ranked fifth in the NL in strikeouts per nine innings (10.24). The 31-year-old, who has a 1.27 ERA in three road starts, outdueled current teammate A.J. Burnett - Tuesday's winner for the Pirates - with eight scoreless innings in his only prior appearance in Philadelphia last September.

Hamels, who has issued a career-worst 4.3 walks per nine innings, rebounded from a rocky outing at Miami earlier this month to post seven outstanding frames in a 3-1 win over the Mets on Friday. He yielded a run and four hits and has now let up two earned runs in 20 frames over his last three home starts. The three-time All-Star is 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA in seven career starts against the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen was 2-for-4 with his first homer in a month Tuesday night and is 9-for-22 over a six-game surge.

2. Since recording at least one RBI in five straight games April 16-21, Philadelphia SS Freddy Galvis has gone 19 consecutive contests without driving in a run.

3. Phillies OFs Jeff Francoeur and Grady Sizemore are a combined 5-for-42 with 17 strikeouts against Liriano.

PREDICTION: Phillies 4, Pirates 3