Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2012 ) Chi. Cubs 2, Pittsburgh 3

Erik Bedard dominated Chicago in a losing effort just seven days ago and hopes to reverse the result when the Pittsburgh Pirates open a three-game series against the host Cubs. Bedard matched a season-high with 11 strikeouts and gave up just one run and two hits in seven innings but was a hard-luck loser when Pittsburgh was blanked on two hits. The Pirates are three games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central.

Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit the winning two-run homer in Chicago’s 10-inning victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Rizzo is batting .333 with seven homers in 27 games since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa. He has struck out just 12 times in 105 at-bats, a huge improvement from his 49-game stint with the San Diego Padres last season when he fanned 46 times in just 128 at-bats. Pittsburgh has homered in a club-record 19 consecutive road games. The Pirates lost to the Houston Astros on Sunday after winning their previous four games.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), Comcast SportsNet (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Erik Bedard (5-11, 4.32 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Justin Germano (0-1, 1.04)

Bedard defeated the Cubs on May 27 when he blanked them on two hits over six innings. He has lost five of his last six decisions but has given up just two earned runs in 13 2/3 innings during his last two outings. That follows a stretch in which Bedard failed to make it through the fifth in four of seven starts.

Germano is making his second appearance with the Cubs since being acquired from the Boston Red Sox on July 19 and just his second big-league start since 2008. He last won a major-league game in 2007 when he was a member of the San Diego Padres. Germano replaced injured Matt Garza on July 21 and allowed one run in three innings to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals. He has never faced the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano is 6-for-11 with a homer and three doubles against Bedard.

2. Pittsburgh has 72 homers in 52 road games. The club record of 110 was set in 1966.

3. Chicago all-star 1B/OF Bryan LaHair is hitless in 15 at-bats over his last five games and has just three RBIs in July.