Arizona @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 26, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 8, Arizona 0

The Pittsburgh Pirates have imposed their will on a number of opponents in 2015, leading the majors with 13 sweeps after completing one in New York against the National League East-leading Mets over the weekend. The Pirates notched their second sweep of the season when they visited Arizona in late April and will look to continue their mastery of the Diamondbacks when they open a three-game set at home on Monday.

Pittsburgh shook off a series loss in St. Louis to begin a six-game road trip by completing a season sweep of the Mets, as well as its first series sweep in New York since 2004. The Pirates pummeled the Mets by a combined 37-10 score in their six meetings this year and enjoyed similar success silencing the bats of the Diamondbacks from April 24-26, when they outscored Arizona 14-2. The Diamondbacks’ Nick Ahmed broke up Shelby Miller’s bid for a no-hitter in the eighth inning on Sunday, but the club lost the rubber match of its three-game set in Atlanta when the Braves’ Cameron Maybin led off the 10th with a home run. Arizona has dropped three of four after a 12-5 stretch and will turn to Jeremy Hellickson, who hasn’t won on the road since May 30 in Milwaukee.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Jeremy Hellickson (8-8, 4.73 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (14-6, 2.48)
Hellickson flashed the dominance Arizona was hoping for when it acquired him from Tampa Bay in November, allowing an unearned run in eight innings of a 13-1 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Iowa native had surrendered 11 runs (10 earned) over eight frames during his previous two outings, which was in stark contrast to his 2-1 mark and 1.88 ERA in four turns last month. Hellickson took the loss in his only career start against the Pirates on April 26, giving up four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Cole became the majors’ first 14-game winner on July 26 but saw his winless streak reach three starts after yielding four runs (three earned) over 5 1/3 innings during a 4-2 loss at St. Louis on Wednesday. The 11th overall selection of the 2011 draft, who has experienced only one stretch of four winless outings in his career, is 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA at home this season. Cole got the decision in a 4-1 victory at Arizona on April 24 after yielding one run over 7 2/3 frames to improve to 2-0 in two career starts versus the Diamondbacks.

WALK-OFFS
1. Pittsburgh RH Arquimedes Caminero got the victory in relief on Sunday, the 16th straight winning decision by the Pirates' bullpen. It’s the longest such stretch in the majors since the Pirates garnered 22 in a row in 1909.
2. Arizona LF David Peralta recorded one of his team’s three hits on Sunday and is 17-of-34 with two home runs and 13 RBIs over his last 10 games.
3. Pirates 3B Aramis Ramirez is 15-for-44 with 11 RBIs in his last 11 games after going 4-for-30 with two RBIs over his first seven contests following his acquisition from Milwaukee in late July.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Diamondbacks 3