Pittsburgh @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 25, 2012 ) Colorado 1, Pittsburgh 5

In 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates were tied for first place in the National League Central following their first series after the All-Star break. After a 6-6 stretch, though, the Pirates lost 10 straight and were not heard from again. The setup is quite the same in 2012. Pittsburgh, which is one game behind Cincinnati in the NL Central, begins a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, and hopes the experience of last season will help it through a crucial stretch against some of the worst teams in the NL.

Thirteen of Pittsburgh’s next 16 games are against Colorado, Chicago and Houston, who have a combined winning percentage of .389. It will also be a lot harder for the Pirates to stumble these days as they have the fifth-best ERA in baseball at 3.52, including the second-lowest 2.73 from their bullpen. Pittsburgh’s Jeff Karstens is coming off his best outing since returning from the disabled list and will oppose Colorado’s Jeff Francis, who has been the Rockies’ most consistent starter.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Pittsburgh, Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jeff Karstens (2-2, 3.94 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jeff Francis (2-2, 5.19)

Karstens has made three starts since returning from the disabled list (shoulder, hip). He allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in a 2-0 victory over Houston on July 5. In his previous start, he yielded two runs, four hits and struck out seven in a 7-3 win at St. Louis on June 30. Colorado’s roster is batting .184 against Karstens, with catcher Ramon Hernandez 3-for-13 (four RBIs).

Francis hadn’t lost in five starts (2-0) before a 4-1 setback at Washington on July 7 also snapped a five-game winning streak for the Rockies when Francis started. He is 3-3 in six career starts against Pittsburgh, but hasn’t faced them since 2010. No Pirate has faced Francis more than three times. Pittsburgh's Neil Walker, who has a 15-game hitting streak, is 2-for-3 against Francis.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rockies haven’t won a home series since June 3, when they took two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2. The Pirates struck out 17 times – 14 by starter Yovani Gallardo – in their 4-1 loss at Milwaukee on Sunday.

3. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was 534-625 (.461) from 2002-09 as Colorado skipper, and led the Rockies to their only World Series appearance in 2007, when they were swept by the Boston Red Sox.