Pittsburgh @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2014 ) Atlanta 2, Pittsburgh 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are closing in on their second consecutive appearance in the National League wild-card game and their sights are set on having that contest at home. Pittsburgh has won 13 of its last 16 and visits the struggling Atlanta Braves on Monday to open a four-game series with a 4 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee for the final NL playoff berth and in a tie with San Francisco for the top wild-card spot. The Braves are moving in the opposite direction, losing eight of their past nine to fall out of the playoff chase.

Atlanta, which led the NL East for 86 days earlier this season, sat 1 ½ games out of the final wild-card spot entering September. The Braves are 4-14 this month, scoring two runs or less 11 times and being shut out on five occasions. Pittsburgh’s Russell Martin is hitting .356 during his 12-game hitting streak with three homers and 15 RBIs, driving in the game’s only run Sunday as the Pirates beat Milwaukee in the rubber match of a critical three-game series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (6-10, 3.45 ERA) vs. Braves RH Aaron Harang (11-11, 3.68)

Liriano held the Red Sox to one run on three hits in six innings in a 9-1 victory on Wednesday. Since allowing seven earned runs against the Braves on Aug. 19, the Dominican Republic native has given up only three runs in 33 innings across five games. Liriano, who has posted a 2.39 ERA in 13 starts since coming off the disabled list, is holding right-handed batters to a .208 average overall.

Harang beat the Pirates in that matchup against Liriano on Aug. 19, giving up three runs in 8 1/3 innings, but is 1-4 with a 4.71 ERA since. He lost to Washington on Tuesday despite holding the Nationals to two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings. Harang has allowed only two earned runs with 17 strikeouts over 14 innings in his past two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh pitchers have allowed only 41 earned runs in 169 2/3 innings this month for a 2.17 ERA.

2. Atlanta LF Justin Upton is 3-for-34 with 14 strikeouts in his past nine games.

3. Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte has hit safely in 16 of his past 17 games with four doubles, four homers and nine RBIs.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Braves 2