San Francisco @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( May 6, 2014 ) San Francisco 1, Pittsburgh 2
After an extra-innings slugfest and a replay-aided walk-off, the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates will be hard-pressed to produce a fitting finale. The teams wrap up their three-game series with a matinee rubber match Wednesday at PNC Park. Each of the first two games have been decided by one run.
The matchup features a pair of dynamic right-handers in two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum for the Giants and former No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole for Pittsburgh. Lincecum is 2-0 on the road this season but is looking for his first win at PNC Park, where he is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in four career starts. After being outslugged 11-10 in 13 innings in the opener, the Pirates snapped San Francisco's six-game winning streak with a 2-1 win Tuesday when Starling Marte tripled and scored on an errant throw in the ninth inning; he initially was called out at the plate but the call was overturned after manager Clint Hurdle's challenge.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (2-1, 5.12 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (2-2, 3.69)
Lincecum's season statistics are skewed by one disastrous outing, but the Giants have won five of the six games he has started and he has posted quality starts - and wins - in two of his last three outings. He turned in his best start of the year last time out, limiting the Braves to one run over six innings in a 2-1 win. Lincecum is 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA in seven starts against Pittsburgh and split two meetings last season.
Cole has gone winless in four straight starts for the first time in his brief career, but turned in two strong outings during that stretch in which he didn't get much help from the offense. He wasn't sharp last time out, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings in a no-decision against Toronto. The 23-year-old won his only previous start against San Francisco, holding the Giants to two runs over 6 1/3 innings at home last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cole has surrendered five home runs in 39 innings including one in each of his starts at PNC Park, where he is 7-5 in his career and 1-0 this season.
2. The Giants are 16-2 when scoring first, but lost Tuesday's matchup despite striking first.
3. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen (2-for-16) and 1B Ike Davis (3-for-18) have struggled mightily against Lincecum.
PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Giants 3