San Diego @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 2, San Diego 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a pair of races for postseason spots and have the luxury of playing teams this week that are on the opposite side of the contending line. The Pirates will meet another such team when they host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. Pittsburgh took care of business with wins in two of three over the Miami Marlins to begin the homestand despite being without Andrew McCutchen (rib).

McCutchen still has not been placed on the disabled list and the team is hopeful he can return in less than two weeks as they try to make up the 1 1/2 games separating them from the Milwaukee Brewers atop the National League Central while trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by a half-game for the second wild-card spot. The Padres (52-61) are nine games under .500 but might have a plan for the future coming up after the hiring of new general manager A.J. Preller on Wednesday. On the field, San Diego is making things tough for NL playoff contenders by taking two of three from the Cardinals and earning a three-game sweep of Atlanta while going 6-2 over the last eight games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.59 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Vance Worley (4-1, 2.43)

Kennedy missed a start due to soreness in his oblique but returned to the rotation on Saturday and held Atlanta to one run and two hits in five innings. The 29-year-old is having some trouble with his control and has issued 17 walks in 24 innings over his last four starts. Kennedy earned a win over Pittsburgh at home on June 4, allowing two runs while striking out seven and walking one in six innings.

Worley has been strong since joining the team but really picked up the pace in his three starts since the All-Star break. The California native is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in those three turns and held Arizona to one run over seven innings in a no-decision on Saturday. Worley is undefeated in two career starts against the Padres, yielding three runs in 13 total innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates INF/OF Josh Harrison has hit safely in 11 straight games.

2. San Diego 1B Yonder Alonso is 6-for-8 with a home run and three doubles in the last two games.

3. Pittsburgh 2B Neil Walker (back tightness) sat for the fourth time in five games on Thursday and remains day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Padres 3