Arizona @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2015 ) Arizona 4, Pittsburgh 1

The Arizona Diamondbacks are making a late surge to remain within shouting distance of both the National League West title and second wild-card spots. The visiting Diamondbacks vie for their 15th win in 23 outings on Tuesday when they play the second contest of their three-game series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Red-hot David Peralta ripped a run-scoring double among his two hits in Arizona's 4-1 victory in the series opener to improve to 19-for-38 with 14 RBIs in his last 11 contests. Peralta is a blistering 12-for-36 (.333) with eight RBIs in 10 meetings with Pittsburgh, but has struck out in his only two plate appearances versus Tuesday starter Francisco Liriano. While the Diamondbacks reside 8 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pirates are holding the top wild-card berth despite seeing their four-game winning streak come to a halt. Aramis Ramirez had a double on Monday to improve to 16-for-48 with 11 RBIs in his last 11 games, and is 2-for-4 in a small sample size versus Tuesday starter Chase Anderson.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (5-5, 4.31 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (8-6, 3.19)

Anderson suffered his third loss in four outings on Wednesday after allowing five runs on nine hits in five innings of a 7-6 setback to Philadelphia. The 27-year-old yielded a homer for the first time in three starts after getting blitzed for nine over his previous four. Anderson pitched well in his last meeting with Pittsburgh, permitting one run on five hits in six frames before exiting with a no-decision last August.
Liriano improved to 4-0 in his last eight trips to the mound on Thursday after allowing three runs on six hits in as many innings of a 10-5 triumph over St. Louis. The 31-year-old Dominican has struggled with his control, however, issuing four walks versus the Cardinals and 13 in his last five outings. Liriano picked up the win in his last meeting with Arizona on April 26, scattering two hits but walking six in 6 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh 1B Pedro Alvarez launched a solo shot on Monday – the 1,000th hit in PNC Park history – and improved to 13-for-27 with four homers and six RBIs in his last eight games.
2. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in his last two contests after going 6-for-13 with five RBIs and four runs scored in his previous three.
3. The Pirates have homered in 11 consecutive games, matching their longest streak since 2012.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Diamondbacks 3