Arizona @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2010 ) Arizona 3, Pittsburgh 4
Having snapped a four-game losing skid, the Pittsburgh Pirates look to continue their recent success at home when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday in the second contest of a three-game set.
Pittsburgh won the series opener on Friday on an RBI single in the ninth inning by Ronny Cedeno. The win kept the Pirates from their ninth five-game losing streak of the season and gave them their seventh win in their last 11 home games.
The Pirates are a major-league worst 49-98, but at least are somewhat competitive at home with a 34-39 mark. With 15 games left in their season, the Pirates need to go 14-1 to avoid losing 100 games for the first time since 2001.
Looking to keep their momentum going, the Pirates send James McDonald to the hill on Saturday.
McDonald (3-5, 4.13 ERA) will be making his ninth start for the Pirates since coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has not allowed a run in his last two starts - going 15 innings and allowing 10 hits - but Pittsburgh is only 1-1 in those games.
In five career games against the Diamondbacks, including one start, McDonald is 1-2 with a whopping 8.53 ERA.
Arizona counters with Barry Enright, who has been having a solid rookie season for the Diamondbacks prior to a recent rough patch.
Enright (6-4, 3.39) has lost his last two outings. In fact, he hasn't just lost - he has been pounded.
The hurler, who won six of his first eight decisions, had not given up more than three runs in any of his first 12 starts of the season. Over his last two outings, he has allowed 11 runs and 16 hits in just nine innings.
Enright has also been victimized by the long ball, allowing seven home runs in his last two starts after giving up eight in his first dozen starts.
On Monday, Enright lasted just three innings against the NL Central-leading Reds, giving up five runs - including four homers - and seven hits.
A second-round pick by Arizona out of Pepperdine in 2006, Enright had won three consecutive starts before getting raked by the San Francisco Giants and Reds. He had not lost since consecutive setbacks to the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins on June 6 and 11, respectively.
The season series between the Pirates and Diamondbacks is 2-2 and they do not meet again this season after Sunday.