San Francisco @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2015 ) San Francisco 6, Pittsburgh 4

Gerrit Cole appeared to be the clear front-runner for the National League Cy Young Award after notching his 14th victory on July 26, but he has not won since August rolled around. Cole attempts to halt a four-start drought and earn his first victory this month when he leads the host Pittsburgh Pirates into a matchup with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.

Cole has the right opponent to reverse his latest struggles - he has won all three career starts against San Francisco while posting an ERA of 2.11. However, Cole has struggled against new Giants acquisition Marlon Byrd, who is 8-for-16 with two homers and five RBIs against him. Byrd made a splashy debut with San Francisco on Friday night, belting his 20th homer and coming within a triple of the cycle in the Giants' 6-4 victory. Mike Leake, who has been battling a hamstring injury and has made only one start for San Francisco since he was acquired from Cincinnati, returns to the rotation and seeks to continue his success against Pittsburgh.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Mike Leake (9-6, 3.52 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (14-7, 2.61)

Leake turned in a solid debut for the Giants following his acquisition from Cincinnati but was a hard-luck loser despite giving up two runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He won his final four starts with the Reds in spectacular fashion, surrendering a total of two runs and 15 hits over 30 innings. Leake has won both of his starts at PNC Park this season, raising his career record to 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA versus the Pirates.

Cole has lost his last two starts and permitted four runs in each, a disturbing trend for a pitcher who limited the opposition to three runs or fewer in 21 of his first 22 turns. Cole has surrendered 14 runs during the four-start drought but the Pirates have scored a total of six runs in his three losses. Cole, who is 8-3 with a 2.99 ERA in 12 starts at PNC Park, held the Giants to two unearned runs over seven innings on June 1.

WALK-OFFS

1. Byrd became the first player to homer at PNC Park for five different teams (Pirates, Cubs, Giants, Phillies and Reds).

2. Friday's loss dropped Pittsburgh to 18-4 against NL West Division opponents.

3. The Giants sent 11-game winner Chris Heston to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday to give him some rest for the stretch run.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Giants 3