Los Angeles @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 5, Pittsburgh 3

It has been an eventful season for Los Angeles right-hander Zack Greinke, who will try to continue his success against Pittsburgh when the Dodgers visit the Pirates on Sunday in the finale of their three-game series. Greinke has been the focal point of a pair of benches-clearing brawls this season, including Tuesday after he was hit by a pitch thrown by Arizona's Ian Kennedy. Greinke is 5-1 lifetime against the Pirates, including a 3-0 victory April 5 when he allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Greinke will oppose rookie Gerrit Cole, who won his major-league debut Tuesday. Los Angeles, which defeated Pittsburgh 5-3 in 11 innings on Saturday, has won 13 of the last 15 meetings and seven of nine at PNC Park. The Dodgers have won only four of their last 16 road games and will put their six-series winning streak against the Pirates on the line.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, TBS, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (3-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (1-0, 2.84)

Greinke allowed two runs and two hits in seven innings - and hit Miguel Montero with a pitch in retaliation for rookie Yasiel Puig getting drilled - in Los Angeles' 5-3 victory over Arizona on Tuesday. Greinke needed three pitches to hit Montero, which didn't sit well with the Diamondbacks and Kennedy. Andrew McCutchen is 4-for-18 and Clint Barmes 7-for-13 against Greinke, who is 1-1 with a 6.39 ERA in two starts at PNC Park.

Cole allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings - and also recorded a hit - in Pittsburgh's 8-2 victory over San Francisco. "There was no deer-in-the-headlight look from him at all," Pirates second baseman Neil Walker told reporters following the game. The 22-year-old Newport Beach, Calif., native, was the first player taken in the 2011 draft. He originally was selected No. 28 overall by the New York Yankees in 2008, but opted to become a student-athlete at UCLA instead.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers CF Andre Ethier had three hits and an RBI Saturday and scored the go-ahead run in the 11th inning after leading off with a double. He went 7-for-16 in his last four games to raise his average 15 points to .244.

2. Pirates LF Starling Marte missed his third straight game Saturday because of a rib injury.

3. Los Angeles LHP J.P. Howell dropped his appeal and began his two-game suspension for his role in Tuesday's brawl.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Pirates 2