San Francisco @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 20, 2016 ) San Francisco 0, Pittsburgh 1

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally received a strong pitching performance and did just enough on offense to snap a five-game slide and win for the second time in 12 games. The Pirates can assure themselves a split of the four-game set when they host the San Francisco Giants in the second contest on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh has steadily dropped in the standings since moving a season-high nine games over .500 with a win on May 27 and the pitching staff was allowing an average of 6.9 runs in the 11 games prior to Jeff Locke’s gem on Monday. The 1-0 triumph brought the Pirates back within two games of the .500 mark as the team treads water until ace Gerrit Cole (triceps) returns from the disabled list. The Giants had an eight-game winning streak come to an end on Monday and were within a few inches of at least forcing extra innings in the ninth game until Angel Pagan’s attempt to rob a home run in the fifth saw the ball fall out of his glove as he hit the fence in left field. San Francisco got a complete game from Madison Bumgarner in the loss and will have a rested bullpen to back up Johnny Cueto on Tuesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (10-1, 2.10 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Wilfredo Boscan (1-0, 2.92)

Cueto surrendered two runs or fewer in each of his last eight starts and scattered one run and seven hits across seven innings while striking out nine to beat Milwaukee on Wednesday. The Dominican Republic native has only yielded three home runs in 102 2/3 innings in his first season with San Francisco. Cueto spent the first eight seasons of his career in the National League Central with Cincinnati and is 18-4 with a 2.13 ERA in 28 starts against Pittsburgh.

Boscan made his major-league debut on May 19 and appeared in five games as a reliever before heading back to Triple-A Indianapolis to join the rotation. The Venezuela native went six scoreless innings in his last minor-league appearance on Thursday while scattering four hits. Boscan’s last appearance in the majors came against the Los Angeles Angels on June 3, when he allowed two runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants 3B Matt Duffy (strained left Achilles) will be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

2. Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte (face) is 3-for-8 in two games since returning to the starting lineup.

3. Pirates SS Jordy Mercer is 7-for-18 in the last five games.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Pirates 1