Pittsburgh @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 2, NY Mets 6

Ike Davis has turned an atrocious first half into a 30-homer season as the New York Mets prepare to host the Pittsburgh Pirates in Tuesday’s second contest of a four-game set. Davis homered twice and drove in a career-best five runs as New York won the opener of the series. Davis was batting below .200 when July started and has hit 18 homers since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh has lost 14 of its last 17 games.

The Pirates are three games below .500 and need to go 6-3 over the final nine games to avoid a 20th consecutive losing campaign. Pittsburgh has lost 31 of its last 43 games and has fallen out of the National League wild card race even though the Pirates are still mathematically alive. New York has won four consecutive games. Third baseman David Wright had a run-scoring single in the opener to raise his career hit total to 1,416, two behind franchise record-holder Ed Kranepool.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Wandy Rodriguez (11-13, 3.76 ERA) vs. Mets RH Collin McHugh (0-2, 3.86)

Rodriguez has won three straight decisions to even his record at 4-4 since joining the Pirates in a trade from the Houston Astros. He allowed four runs in a four-start span before giving up four runs and five hits in four innings of his last start, a no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers. Rodriguez beat New York on May 2 when he was with the Astros and allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. He is 4-2 with a 2.68 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets.

McHugh is making his fourth major-league start, but the first since facing the Washington Nationals on Sept. 10. He allowed one run in three innings of relief against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 20 in his last appearance. McHugh has fanned 14 and walked three in 18 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh OF Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-3 in the opener to keep his NL-best average at .336. He has a four-point lead over San Francisco’s Buster Posey.

2. Mets 2B Daniel Murphy is batting .318 at home this season.

3. Pirates 2B Neil Walker is hitting .412 in 17 career at-bats against Rodriguez.