Pittsburgh @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 2, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 7, San Francisco 4

The San Francisco Giants are headed to the White House on Thursday for the traditional visit by the reigning World Series champions, but first they’d like to snap their four-game losing streak. The Giants will look to salvage the series finale Wednesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, who have won 10 of their last 12 games to move a season-high four games over .500.

Left fielder Starling Marte has a solid track record against the Giants, but he could be due for a day off after recording one hit in his last 23 at-bats. Conversely, center fielder Andrew McCutchen has led the Pirates’ surge by hitting .404 with five home runs and 21 RBI in his last 25 games, including a four-hit effort in Tuesday’s 7-4 victory. McCutchen could be joined at next month’s All-Star game by San Francisco’s Brandon Crawford, who belted his eighth home run Tuesday and leads all major league shortstops with 36 RBI. Giants right fielder Hunter Pence broke out of a 3-for-27 slump with three hits Tuesday and has appeared in every game since coming off the disabled list on May 16.

TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (2-4, 3.47 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Hudson (3-4, 4.62)

Liriano has recorded 23 strikeouts and allowed one earned run in his last two starts covering 12 innings. The 31-year-old has struck out 75 batters in 59 2/3 innings and owns a 1.57 ERA in five road starts this season. Liriano is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA in three career starts against the Giants, who signed him as an amateur free agent in 2000 before trading him to Minnesota in 2003 as part of a deal that sent A.J. Pierzynski to the Giants.

Hudson bounced back from a rough outing at Colorado by tossing seven innings of one-run ball against the Braves last Thursday. The 17-year veteran retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced to earn his first career win against Atlanta, where he pitched from 2005-13. McCutchen is just 3-for-19 against Hudson, who is 6-8 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 career starts against Pittsburgh, including 0-2 with a 2.30 ERA in two starts last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco has dropped 12 of its last 17 regular-season games to Pittsburgh.

2. The Pirates are 26-5 when scoring at least four runs.

3. Giants manager Bruce Bochy indicated that rookie Andrew Susac will start at catcher Wednesday with Buster Posey set to play first base.

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Giants 2