Pittsburgh @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 8, 2013 ) Seattle 2, Pittsburgh 1

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners both are coming off emotional 10-inning victories as they begin a two-game set in Seattle on Tuesday. Pittsburgh scored three runs in the ninth to force extra innings and struck for four in the 10th to beat the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday and move a season-high 16 games over .500. Meanwhile, the Mariners prevailed in dramatic fashion when Kendrys Morales hit a three-run walkoff homer to defeat the Oakland Athletics.

The Pirates have won four consecutive games and possess the second-best record in baseball as they sit just one game behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. Pedro Alvarez has homered in each game during the winning streak and is 9-for-16 with eight RBIs during the stretch. Seattle continues to receive top-notch production from veteran Raul Ibanez, who homered twice on Sunday to raise his season count to 17 – 12 shy of Ted Williams’ single-season record for blasts by a player 41 years or older.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh, Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (6-1, 2.01 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Joe Saunders (5-7, 4.48)

Locke leads the NL in ERA and has allowed just one run and seven hits in 19 2/3 innings over his last three starts. He has posted a 0.82 ERA over his last seven starts, a span during which he is 3-0 with four no-decisions. Locke’s lone loss came in his first start of the year, when he gave up a season high-tying four runs and a season-worst eight hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Saunders has a splendid 2.53 ERA at Safeco Field while going 4-2 in seven starts. He also has begun pitching well on the road of late and has allowed one run in four of his last five overall outings. Saunders is 2-0 with a 3.15 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. Morales’ game-winning blast against Oakland was his first since May 31.

2. Over its last 15 games, Pittsburgh has averaged 6.5 runs in 10 victories and 1.2 runs in the five defeats.

3. Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez left Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness and is unlikely to play in the series.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Mariners 2