Pittsburgh @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 2, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 10, San Diego 3

San Diego’s Jesse Hahn will be on a pitch count Tuesday when he makes his major league debut against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, and the timing couldn’t be worse for a tired Padres bullpen. Hahn is hoping to last about six innings or 90 pitches while making a spot start for the Padres, who had seven pitchers throw a total of 249 pitches in Monday’s series-opening 10-3 loss. Center fielder Cameron Maybin appeared as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning after missing one game with a sore right calf and could return to the starting lineup Tuesday.

The Pirates have won four of their last five to move three games under .500 for the first time since April 22. Shortstop Jordy Mercer is 6-for-9 with a home run and three RBIs over his last three games, and utilityman Josh Harrison continues to spark the offense from the leadoff spot while batting .327 (17-for-52) over his last 12 contests. Mercer has shown signs of ending a season-long slump during the current 10-game road trip, and the Pirates are hoping he'll keep delivering at the bottom of the lineup.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN San Diego (San Diego)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (5-3, 3.80 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jesse Hahn (MLB debut)

Cole has allowed three or fewer earned runs in nine of his 11 starts, and he earned his fifth win last Thursday by holding the Dodgers to three runs over 6 1/3 innings. “Cole was outstanding,” manager Clint Hurdle told reporters. “He was very aggressive, had all his pitches working.” The 23-year-old had a career-high 12 strikeouts against the Padres last Sept. 19, and he’s 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts against San Diego.

Hahn was a sixth-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2010 draft and arrived in San Diego as part of a trade for Logan Forsythe in January. The 24-year-old had Tommy John surgery in 2011 and threw a total of 121 innings over the last two years before going 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in seven starts covering 32 2/3 innings for Double-A San Antonio this season. Hahn turned in his longest outing of the season last Thursday, throwing five scoreless innings on 69 pitches against Northwest Arkansas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen has hit safely in each of his first nine career games at Petco Park.

2. San Diego 2B Jedd Gyorko is batting .165 and has two hits in his last 19 at-bats.

3. The Pirates have won eight straight games when scoring four or more runs.

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Padres 2