New York @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2014 ) NY Mets 5, Pittsburgh 3

Ageless New York Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon looks to continue his stunning career renaissance when he seeks his seventh consecutive victory on Sunday in the finale of a four-game series against the host Pittsburgh Pirates. The 41-year-old Colon is gunning for his ninth win, which would be one more than he managed in any season from 2006-11. Eric Campbell had three hits Saturday filling in for injured captain David Wright to put New York in position for a split.

Saturday's 5-3 setback thwarted Pittsburgh's attempt to move three games over .500 for the first time since April 10 and marked only its second loss in the past eight games. Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen, who has 25 RBIs in 26 games this month, is riding an eight-game hitting streak and is 3-for-8 lifetime against Colon. Edinson Volquez, who has struggled throughout his career against New York, draws the start against Colon in the series finale.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (8-5, 3.67 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Edinson Volquez (5-6, 4.35)

Colon won his third straight start with a dominant effort against Oakland - the team he won 18 games with in 2013 - on Tuesday, striking out eight and permitting one run on four hits over eight innings. Colon is 6-0 over his last seven turns, allowing a total of eight runs while pitching at least seven innings in each of the victories. He overpowered Pittsburgh on May 28 with a season-high nine strikeouts in 7 1/3 scoreless frames.

Volquez bounced back from his worst outing with one of his best, shackling Tampa Bay on one run and five hits over a season-high eight innings. Volquez, who will turn 31 on Thursday, was pummeled for eight runs over 2 1/3 innings in a 11-4 loss to Cincinnati in his previous outing. He did not factor in the decision against the Mets on May 27, giving up only two runs in five innings, but is only 1-5 with a 6.63 ERA lifetime versus New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. An MRI exam on Mets 3B Wright's ailing left shoulder revealed a bruised rotator cuff. He will be re-examined on Monday.

2. Pirates RHP Ernesto Frieri, acquired from the Los Angeles Angeles on Friday in exchange for Jason Grilli in a swap of desposed closers, retired all three batters he faced Saturday in his Pittsburgh debut.

3. Mets LF Eric Young Jr. swiped three bases Saturday to improve to 21-for-23 on steal attempts.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Pirates 3