San Diego @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 1, San Diego 7

A.J. Burnett has been among the biggest surprises in baseball this season and will take the ball when the Pittsburgh Pirates open a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Monday. Owners of the second-best record in the National League at the season's midway point, the Pirates still trail Central Division-leading St. Louis by six games.

Pittsburgh has won five of its last six but suffered a potentially costly injury when left fielder Starling Marte exited Sunday's game with discomfort in his left side. Marte, who leads the team in homers (13) and is second in RBIs (48), will be re-evaluated Monday. The Padres had to settle for a four-game split in St. Louis despite winning the first two contests and holding the Cardinals to a total of nine runs in the series. San Diego, which has scored one run or fewer in four of its last six contests and 22 times overall, split a four-game home series with Pittsburgh in May.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH James Shields (7-3, 4.14 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (7-3, 2.05)

After winning his first seven decisions and going 14 starts without tasting defeat, Shields has seen his season take a U-turn in his first year with the Padres. Despite permitting only two runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings versus Seattle on Wednesday, he lost his third consecutive start. Shields was hit hard in each his previous outings, giving up 11 runs and 17 hits over 10 innings in losses at San Francisco and Arizona.

Burnett halted a four-start winless drought by limiting the Detroit Tigers to two runs over seven innings last time out - the 13th time in 16 turns he has pitched at least six innings. One of the keys for Burnett is keeping the ball in the park, surrendering only three homers on the season and none over his last five outings. Padres outfielders Justin Upton (8-for-16) and Will Venable (9-for-22) each have a pair of homers off Burnett.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates 2B Neil Walker has nine RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.

2. Padres 3B Yangervis Solarte has a pair of homers and four runs scored during a six-game hitting streak.

3. 1B Travis Ishikawa, who started the season opener for Pittsburgh in 2014, was claimed off waivers by the Pirates on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Padres 2