Pittsburgh @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 8, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 5, Arizona 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates will try for two wins in a row Tuesday when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second of a three-game series. The Pirates ended a four-game slide and halted Arizona’s four-game winning streak with a 5-3 win Monday. Three relievers combined to shut the Diamondbacks down without a hit over the last five innings. Starling Marte has done a solid job setting the table from the lead-off spot. He has started the last three games with a base hit, and Andrew McCutchen has been productive in the No. 3 hole, driving in six of Pittsburgh’s 13 runs.

The Diamondbacks should take the Pirates more seriously the second time around. They gave up three runs in the first inning Monday and failed to take advantage of Pittsburgh’s bullpen, which was called into action when starter Wandy Rodriguez was forced to leave in the third inning with tightness in his left hamstring. Paul Goldschmidt has 11 hits in 30 at-bats to start the season but has also struck out 11 times. Gerardo Parra (.364), Aaron Hill (.313) and Jason Kubel (.308) are also swinging the bat well for the Diamondbacks.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH James McDonald (0-1, 1.29) vs. Diamondbacks RH Brandon McCarthy (0-0, 10.80)

McDonald hopes to duplicate his season-opening effort, when he allowed one run on two hits over seven innings in a 3-2 loss Thursday against the Cubs. He has a history of pitching well during the first half of the season. Last season, he became the first Pirates pitcher since 1900 to allow three runs or fewer in each of his first 14 starts to a season. He was 9-3 with a 2.37 ERA heading into the All Star break last summer but finished 12-8 with a 4.21 ERA. Chase Field should bring back good memories for McDonald. He made his first major league start in the stadium on April 10, 2009.

McCarthy is still finding his way around the National League after spending the first seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. He has thrown one inning against the Pirates in his career and that in 2006 when he was a reliever with the White Sox. He was rocky in his debut with the Diamondbacks last week, allowing nine hits and six runs in five innings before Arizona rallied to win in 16 innings. Unlike McDonald, McCarthy tends to get stronger as the season unfolds. His 5.15 career ERA in April is the highest of any month.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks 1B Eric Hinske is 4-for-6 with a home run in his career against McDonald.

2. Pirates relievers have allowed five earned runs in 22 innings this season.

3. Pirates C Russell Martin is hitless in his last 27 at-bats dating to last season.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 7, Pirates 1