Pittsburgh @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 1, San Diego 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are feeling the heat, but are hopeful their ace is done with his cool spell. A.J. Burnett will try to keep the Pirates in wild card position when Pittsburgh visits its nemesis, the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. The Pirates, who lead the Los Angeles Dodgers by one-half game and the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games in the National League wild card race, have lost 16 of their last 19 meetings with the Padres, including Monday's 3-1 setback. And they'll face Jason Marquis, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against them before settling for a two-hitter in a 5-0 victory on Aug. 11.

Burnett was Marquis' opposite number that day and suffered his only loss in his last six starts and also fell to 1-5 in six lifetime outings against the Padres. Burnett has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) and 16 hits in his last two starts covering 12 1/3 innings, but has struck out 17. The Pirates, who led the NL Central by one game over Cincinnati at the All-Star break, are 6 1/2 behind the Reds. They are 19-18 since the break.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Pittsburgh), FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (15-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jason Marquis (6-7, 4.08)

Marquis is 5-2 in his last seven starts, but coming off his shortest outing since joining the Padres on June 7. He allowed six runs and eight hits - including three homers, two to Chipper Jones - in 4 2/3 innings in San Diego's 6-0 loss at Atlanta on Thursday. Marquis will be making his 30th appearance against Pittsburgh and is 13-7 against them. The Pirates' roster is hitting .235 against him, with Pedro Alvarez 4-for-8 and the only player to homer against Marquis.

Burnett matched a season high with 10 strikeouts in his 10-6 victory over the Dodgers on Thursday, but yielded six runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. Prior the Padres' game, Burnett ripped off four straight victories - three on the road - and allowed two or less runs in each start. He is averaging eight strikeouts in his last four outings. The Padres' roster is hitting .316 against him, with Carlos Quentin 5-for-12 (homer, five RBIs).

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates LF Jose Tabata went 3-for-5 on Monday and is 5-for-12 in two games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to replace Starling Marte, who is on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique injury.

2. Quentin has been hit by a pitch 15 times, which leads the majors. He has been plunked the past two games.

3. Pittsburgh reliever Kyle McPherson made his major-league debut Monday and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.