Pittsburgh @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 2, LA Dodgers 12

The Los Angeles Dodgers look to salvage a split of their four-game series against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, one day after posting a season-high run total in a 12-2 rout. Hanley Ramirez enters the series finale with six consecutive hits over his last two games, including two homers and five RBIs in Saturday’s contest. Los Angeles is hoping Saturday’s game marks a turnaround for Matt Kemp, who snapped an 0-for-20 slump with two hits and two RBIs.

The Pirates suffered their largest margin of defeat, but Jordy Mercer provided a minor bright spot by ending an 0-for-20 skid with two hits. Utilityman Josh Harrison, who made his 12th consecutive start Saturday, is batting .324 in 19 games when hitting in the leadoff position. Harrison likely will be replaced in that spot soon by top prospect Gregory Polanco, who served as Triple-A Indianapolis’ leadoff hitter Saturday for the first time this season and is expected to hit first when he arrives in Pittsburgh.

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, ESPN2

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Edinson Volquez (2-4, 4.30 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (8-1, 2.18)

Volquez has struggled on the road, posting an 0-2 mark with a 5.40 ERA in four starts. The 30-year-old, who owns a 14-7 walk-to-strikeout ratio in five outings this month, walked five and threw two wild pitches on Tuesday against the New York Mets. Adrian Gonzalez is 4-for-12 with two home runs against Volquez, who is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA in seven career starts versus the Dodgers.

Greinke’s streak of consecutive starts with two or fewer runs allowed ended at 22 against Cincinnati on Tuesday, when he yielded three runs while striking out 11 over 7 2/3 innings. “What he does every time out, his consistency is pretty amazing,” manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com. Greinke is 5-2 with a 5.29 ERA in eight career starts against the Pirates and has limited Andrew McCutchen to four hits in 21 at-bats.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers are 30-9 in Greinke’s starts since he arrived last season in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

2. McCutchen has gone nine straight games without an RBI or extra-base hit.

3. Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig has reached base in 32 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Pirates 1