Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 2

There is plenty for the Pittsburgh Pirates to focus on as they open the final series of the regular season Friday at the Cincinnati Reds, but surely they will sneak an occasional glance at the out-of-town scoreboard. The Pirates sit one game behind St. Louis -- which plays at Arizona this weekend -- in the National League Central and leads San Francisco by one game for the top wild-card spot after clinching their second straight postseason berth. Cincinnati eliminated Milwaukee from the wild-card chase in Thursday’s 5-3 victory, and now sets its sights on trying to impact Pittsburgh’s playoff plans.

Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is 17-for-57 in his past 17 games, collecting two hits while batting leadoff for the first time this season Thursday. The Reds hope rookie-of-the-year candidate Billy Hamilton can return to the lineup after he hit his head Wednesday while making a leaping catch at the center-field fence. Pittsburgh third baseman Josh Harrison enters the weekend batting .319, two points ahead of Colorado’s Justin Morenau in the race for the NL batting title.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Vance Worley (8-4, 2.93 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (11-13, 3.78)

Worley has won his past three decisions after a three-start losing streak in mid-August, holding opponents to a .188 batting average. He held Milwaukee to no runs on four hits without walking a batter in eight innings Sunday, a game the Pirates won 1-0. Worley is 1-0 against Cincinnati this season in two appearances (one start), allowing one unearned run in 6 1/3 innings to beat the Reds to start his winning streak on Aug. 30.

Leake has swooned in September, going 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA and five homers allowed in 21 innings. He gave up six runs (five earned) in an 8-4 loss Saturday to the Cardinals. Leake makes his fifth start of the season against Pittsburgh, going 1-0 with a 3.71 ERA in his first four efforts and getting a no-decision despite seven shutout innings Aug. 29.

WALK-OFFS

1. Harrison brings a 13-game hitting streak into the series opener, matching his career long set earlier this season (July 27-Aug. 9).

2. Cincinnati is 4-2 against the Pirates at home this season.

3. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen leads the NL in on-base percentage (.409) and is third in batting average (.314).

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Reds 3