Arizona @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 18, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 2, Arizona 1

The Diamondbacks still hope to make a push for the postseason, and they’ll have a chance to make up some ground against a Pirates club that still has a solid hold on the second wild-card spot in the National League. Arizona comes into this week’s series 6 1/2 games back in that race and just four behind Los Angeles in the NL West. Pittsburgh, which owns the best home record in the major leagues by a fairly wide margin at 33-16, took two of three at Arizona in April. The Diamondbacks did get their lone win against Erik Bedard, Monday’s starter for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh, which has fallen 4 1/2 games behind red-hot Cincinnati in the National League Central, has been riding a solid pitching staff and torrid All-Star CF Andrew McCutchen, who hit .446 in July and leads the league in batting (.368) and slugging (.627). Arizona has kept pace with the leaders in the NL West thanks largely to a balanced offense that ranks fifth in the majors in on-base percentage.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports (Arizona), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (12-6, 2.98 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Erik Bedard (5-12, 4.83)

Miley remains near the front of the Rookie of the Year pack in the National League despite an inconsistent five-week stretch that saw him give up eight, four and three runs in three losses over five starts before bouncing back. He yielded just one run on three hits in an eight-inning effort at Los Angeles on July 31. Miley was a winner in his lone previous start against Pittsburgh last year (5 IP, 2 ER).

Bedard has slumped recently, going 1-6 in his last eight starts and allowing nine runs in his last trip to the mound at Chicago on July 30. Even when the left-hander has pitched well, as he did against the Cubs on July 23 (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 11 K), his teammates haven’t offered much run support. In two career starts against Arizona, including the one this year, Bedard is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates, who are 23-11 since June 27, have won each of their last four series against National League West teams dating back to mid-April.

2. Arizona hitters are a combined 15-for-66 (.227) against Bedard, led by Aaron Hill (7-for-22, HR, five RBIs).

3. Current Pirates are 2-for-10 in limited action against Miley, with McCutchen going 1-for-2 with a walk and a double.