San Francisco @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 6, 2012 ) San Francisco 6, Pittsburgh 5

Pittsburgh leads the National League Central and owns the best home record in the major leagues, but it came up just short in Friday’s series opener, a 6-5 San Francisco victory. The Giants scored five runs in the fourth inning and held off a couple of late comeback bids by the Pirates, who have still won eight of their last 10 games and will look to rebound Saturday. San Francisco has stayed close to Los Angeles in the NL West and currently holds a slim lead in a crowded wild-card race.

The Pirates are enjoying their best season in 20 years thanks to an outstanding pitching staff and an MVP-caliber season from Andrew McCutchen. The center fielder leads Pittsburgh in nearly every offensive category, and he is 24-for-45 (.533) with four doubles, four home runs, 12 runs scored and 16 RBIs over his last 12 home games. San Francisco has also been buoyed by strong pitching, with Saturday starter Ryan Vogelsong emerging as a Cy Young candidate.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Comcast Sports (San Francisco), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (7-3, 2.26 ERA) vs. Pirates RH James McDonald (8-3, 2.45)

Vogelsong has quietly put together one of the best seasons in baseball, turning in 12 consecutive quality starts and pitching at least seven innings in 12 of his 15 trips to the mound. The Giants have won 10 of his last 11 outings, but Vogelsong took one of his three losses this season against Pittsburgh (6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K) on April 15.

McDonald is enjoying a breakthrough season, holding opponents to a .197 average and allowing more than three runs in a game just once. He has been mortal recently, yielding six runs, seven walks and three homers over 12 2/3 innings in his last two starts. McDonald is 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 career games (four starts) against the Giants, with a loss on April 13 (5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB).

WALK-OFFS

1. Vogelsong is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in his three lifetime starts against the Pirates. Garrett Jones (5-for-8, HR) and Neil Walker (5-for-9) have hit him well, but the rest of the Pittsburgh roster is 5-for-38 against Vogelsong.

2. San Francisco hitters are a combined 26-for-79 (.329) against McDonald, but Aubrey Huff (5-for-11, HR, 3 RBIs) is on the disabled list.

3. Pittsburgh has won 12 of its last 14 home games against right-handed starters.