San Francisco @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2013 ) San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh 8

Francisco Liriano did not make his season debut until May 11, but he quickly has become one of the most valuable parts of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The left-hander has won four of his six starts entering Pittsburgh’s home game Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Liriano broke his right arm in the offseason, but has allowed more than one earned run just once while bolstering one of the top pitching staffs in baseball.

San Francisco placed third baseman Pablo Sandoval on the disabled list Tuesday with an injured left foot, and held its breath as second baseman Marco Scutaro left Tuesday’s 8-2 loss after being hit on the left hand with a seventh-inning pitch. If Scutaro is forced to miss time, the Giants will have lost the first three hitters in their lineup (leadoff hitter Angel Pagan is on the DL with a strained hamstring). Barry Zito gets the start for San Francisco looking to win for the second time in three starts.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Barry Zito (4-4, 4.06 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (4-2, 1.75).

Zito has gave up four or more earned runs in four of his past five starts, allowing 40 hits with 14 walks in 29 1/3 innings. He pitched much better in his past two outings, a six-inning, three-hit victory over Oakland on May 30 and a six-inning loss Wednesday against Toronto in which Zito allowed four runs on seven hits. Zito is 2-3 with a 3.73 ERA lifetime against Pittsburgh, beating the Pirates at PNC Park last season.

Liriano started June by fanning 11 in a 2-0 loss to Cincinnati and followed that by holding the Cubs to two hits in seven scoreless innings of a victory Friday. Liriano has struck out eight or more in four of his first six starts. The eight-year veteran is in his first season in the National League and has never faced San Francisco.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh 3B Pedro Alvarez drove in three runs Tuesday and has 24 RBIs in his past 25 games.

2. Most of the Giants will get their first look at Liriano; only Scutaro (1-for-9) and OF Gregor Blanco (0-for-5) have faced him.

3. Pittsburgh is third in the majors in ERA (3.27).

PREDICTION: Pirates 3, Giants 1