Pittsburgh @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 8, Arizona 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are making a living out of feasting on the Arizona Diamondbacks’ bullpen this weekend. The Pirates will try to clinch the four-game series and ensure a winning road trip when they visit the Diamondbacks on Sunday for the finale. Each of the last two games have been close affairs until the eighth inning, when the Pittsburgh offense unleashed on the Arizona bullpen to the tune of 15 total runs in the final two frames.

The Pirates got eight in the eighth and ninth in a 9-4 win and came up just short of that mark with seven in the last two innings Saturday. Andrew McCutchen was at the center of rallies in each of the games and was at the center of some controversy Saturday when he was hit with a pitch by right-hander Randall Delgado in the ninth inning. Delgado was tossed from the game, which was thought to be in retaliation for Arizona All-Star Paul Goldschmidt getting hit and suffering a broken hand in the ninth inning on Friday.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (3-7, 3.97 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Trevor Cahill (1-8, 5.59)

Liriano has been a different pitcher since the All-Star break and struck out a season-high 11 while yielding one run and four hits to earn a win at San Francisco on Tuesday. The Dominican Republic native has surrendered three runs - two earned - while striking out 23 in 19 innings since the break. Liriano is facing Arizona for the first time in 2014 and is just 2-4 despite a 2.95 ERA on the road.

Cahill lasted six innings at Cincinnati on Friday - his longest stint since rejoining the rotation after the All-Star break. The 26-year-old allowed three runs on seven hits without walking a batter but was saddled with the loss as the Diamondbacks went scoreless. Cahill is 2-1 with a 4.08 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates' Josh Harrison has homered in five of the last seven games and has 10 extra-base hits, seven RBIs and 11 runs scored in that span.

2. Arizona rookie OF David Peralta is 7-for-16 in the last four games.

3. Pittsburgh 2B Neil Walker (back tightness) was scratched from Saturday’s lineup and is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Diamondbacks 3