New York @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2015 ) NY Mets 2, Pittsburgh 8

Former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen has turned his season around over the past 2 1/2 weeks and looks to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a three-game sweep of the visiting New York Mets in Sunday's series finale. The Pirates have won 11 of the last 15 against New York after battering Mets ace Matt Harvey in Saturday's 8-2 victory.

McCutchen was languishing below the Mendoza line with a .188 batting average on May 6, but he is up to .253 after collecting three hits and coming up a triple shy of the cycle in Saturday's win. It was the sixth consecutive road loss for New York, which announced Saturday that third baseman David Wright is suffering from spinal stenosis and will be shut down for at least another week. Wright has been sidelined since April 14 and his absence puts more pressure on an offense that has produced two runs or fewer eight times in the last 12 games. New York sends Jon Niese to the hill to face Francisco Liriano in a matchup of left-handers who were shelled in their previous start.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jon Niese (3-4, 3.72 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (1-4, 4.15)

Niese is coming off a forgettable outing in which he was battered by St. Louis for eight runs and 11 hits over five-plus innings. It was the fourth defeat in the last five turns for Niese, who allowed one run or less in five of his first six starts this season. He is 3-1 with a 4.41 ERA in six career starts against the Pirates, but McCutchen is 5-for-13 with three doubles against him.

Liriano lost his third consecutive start with an ugly outing versus Minnesota on Tuesday, lasting only two innings and giving up seven runs on five hits. The 31-year-old Dominican permitted only seven runs over his first five starts of the season but registered only one victory in that span. Liriano has surrendered four homers in his last two starts and remains winless at home with an 0-3 mark and 7.45 ERA in four turns.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates 3B Josh Harrison is 21-for-43 during a 10-game hitting streak.

2. Mets 2B Daniel Murphy is 6-for-11 over the past three games.

3. McCutchen set the PNC Park record with his 62nd homer Saturday.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Mets 3