Chicago @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2015 ) Chi. White Sox 0, Pittsburgh 11

Stellar pitching has fueled the turnaround for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who vie for their sixth consecutive victory when they host the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in the second contest of a four-game, home-and-home series. The surging Pirates put up five first-inning runs Monday en route to an 11-0 romp to improve to 18-5 over their last 23 games.

Pittsburgh's starting rotation entered the series with a major league-best 2.94 ERA and it dipped even lower following eight scoreless innings from Francisco Liriano on Monday. Starling Marte and Josh Harrison collected four hits apiece in the opener for the Pirates, who set a season-high run total after scoring only eight times in their previous four wins. The White Sox are trending in the other direction, having lost four straight to drop six games below .500 - matching their season worst. Jose Quintana makes his 100th career start against Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton on Tuesday before the series shifts to Chicago for two games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (3-6, 4.00 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Charlie Morton (4-0, 2.05)

Quintana finally was rewarded for his solid pitching in his last outing, picking up the win after holding Houston to one run and six hits over seven innings. That victory snapped a four-start drought for the 26-year-old Colombian, who has yielded three earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine turns. Quintana, who has worked seven innings in six of his last nine starts, is 2-3 with a 4.33 ERA away from home.

Morton is perfect since being activated from the disabled list, winning his fourth consecutive start by blanking Milwaukee on three hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings. Morton, who didn't make his first start until May 25 while recovering from hip surgery, has worked at least seven frames in three of his four outings. He has been torched by Adam LaRoche, who is 5-for-7 with a homer and six RBIs against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marte has recorded at least three hits in four straight games and is 15-for-29 during a six-game hitting streak while Harrison is 12-for-24 during his five-game run.

2. Chicago had registered more errors (three) than hits (two) in the series opener.

3. Morton has struggled in interleague play, posting a 2-6 record and 5.00 ERA in 10 starts.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, White Sox 3