San Diego @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2011 ) San Diego 15, Pittsburgh 5
THE STORY: Unless the Pittsburgh Pirates can find a way to beat the visiting San Diego Padres, their slide from division title contender to the middle of the pack will continue through the weekend. The Pirates lost their seventh straight home game to the Padres on Friday, pushing their season-long losing streak to eight games. They will try to snap both skids when the three-game series continues Saturday night.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Channel 4 San Diego, ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Cory Luebke (3-6, 3.21 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Paul Maholm (6-11, 3.27).
Luebke is 2-4 with a 3.19 ERA in seven starts since being promoted from the bullpen. He has lost his last three starts, most recently allowing five runs over 7 1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers on Monday. Luebke has faced the Pirates only once, throwing three scoreless innings of relief May 2. Maholm's lack of run support continued in a 5-3 loss to the Cubs on Monday, marking the 16th time in 23 starts that the Pirates have scored three runs or fewer for him. Pittsburgh has lost Maholm's last four outings. In four starts against the Padres, Maholm is 0-3 with a 3.71 ERA.
ABOUT THE PADRES (49-64): San Diego entered the series ranked last in the National League in runs (388) and home runs (58), but the Padres set season-highs for both Friday, hitting four homers in a 15-5 win. Chase Headley's first career grand slam was the biggest blow and helped the third baseman rack up five RBIs. It was the first time the Padres have won the opening game of a series since the swept three games from Florida from July 19-21.
ABOUT THE PIRATES (54-57): Pittsburgh has lost eight straight and 10 of 11 since it was tied for the NL Central lead July 25. They Pirates are eight games behind division leader Milwaukee and three games below .500. It is not a prime time to break that slump with the Padres in town. San Diego has outscored the Pirates 52-20 in the last seven meetings in Pittsburgh.
FINAL PITCH: Headley had a career-high five hits at PNC Park on Sept. 21, 2009, and now he can add a career-high five RBIs to his impressive record playing in Pittsburgh.