Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 15, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 6, Pittsburgh 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates have won three of their last four games as they prepare to visit the Tampa Bay Rays for the first time in 11 years Monday and start a three-game interleague series. The Pirates are 9-4 in their previous 13 road games, but still have a lot of work to do while standing nine games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central. The Rays still own the worst record in baseball despite winning seven of their last 11 contests and averaging 4.4 runs in that span.

Evan Longoria hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games for the Rays, including three singles in the 5-2 victory over Houston on Sunday. Reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen has cooled off since a red-hot start to June for Pittsburgh, going 3-for-20 over five games. Outfielder Starling Marte missed Sunday’s game to deal with a personal matter in Dominican Republic, but Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told reporters he is expected back Monday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET; ROOT (Pittsburgh), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Edinson Volquez (4-6, 4.67 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (2-5, 3.48)

Volquez had allowed three or fewer earned runs in five straight starts before surrendering eight over 2 1/3 innings last Wednesday versus Cincinnati. The 30-year-old Dominican Republic native had a 3.21 ERA in April, but owns a 5.70 mark since and has one win in five road contests. Jose Molina is 3-for-6 with two homers against Volquez, who is 1-0 in two career starts with a 3.65 ERA versus Tampa Bay.

Cobb suffered another rough loss last time out as he yielded one unearned run and four hits over seven innings in Baltimore’s 2-0 victory. The Boston native, who has never faced the Pirates, notched his only win in his last six starts when he limited Houston to one run in 6 1/3 innings on June 13. Gaby Sanchez is 2-for-3 versus Cobb, who is 5-2 in eight interleague starts with a 3.16 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh’s 22-year-old RF Gregory Polanco saw his 11-game hitting streak to start his career come to an end Sunday, but is 19-for-55 overall.

2. Tampa Bay’s pitching staff boasts a major league-leading 669 strikeouts in 691 innings.

3. The Pirates were 15-5 in interleague play last season, but have won only four of their first 10 in 2014.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Pirates 1