Pittsburgh @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 4, Atlanta 8

The road back from one of the most frightening plays in baseball this season brings Ryan Vogelsong to the mound Thursday for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale of a three-game series at the Atlanta Braves. The 12-year veteran has not appeared in the majors since a pitch struck him in the left eye May 23, an injury that he initially feared would not merely end his career but cost him his sight.

But Vogelsong returns at just the right time for the Pirates, who lost 8-4 on Wednesday and have dropped five of their past seven games as they try to move up into contention in the National League wild-card race. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen, hitting a career-low .241 and mired in an 8-for-46 slump, did not appear for a second consecutive game as reports surfaced Pirates manager Clint Hurdle does not plan to play him at all in the series. The Braves have won five of their past eight and totally shut down the Pirates after allowing four first-inning runs Wednesday. Center fielder Ender Inciarte continues to swing a hot bat, extending his hitting streak to 14 games Wednesday after going 3-for-4, while batting .373 since the All-Star break.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ryan Vogelsong (1-1, 3.74 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tyrell Jenkins (1-2, 4.91)

The 39-year-old Vogelsong made four rehab starts – two each at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis – going 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA while allowing four homers in 22 innings. He pitched mostly in long relief for the Pirates before the injury, making 10 relief appearances with two starts and going more than two innings just once. Vogelsong faced the Braves in his last appearance before the injury, giving up three runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief May 17.

Jenkins rebounded from a rough outing for his first major-league victory Friday, an outstanding performance in which he held Philadelphia to one unearned run on four hits in six innings -- pitching around four walks in a 2-1 victory. The 24-year-old rookie gave up seven runs in his previous outing at Colorado, but in his other three starts he has surrendered only three earned runs in 16 2/3 innings. Walks continue to be a problem for Jenkins, who has issued 14 in his four starts and 20 free passes against 15 strikeouts in eight appearances overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta SS Erick Aybar brings a nine-game hitting streak into Thursday, batting .483 during that stretch after going 3-for-4 Wednesday.

2. Pittsburgh OF Starling Marte stole his 150th career base in the fifth inning Wednesday, giving him 37 steals for the season.

3. The Braves collected 15 hits Wednesday, just the fifth time this season they have recorded as many in a game and the third time since July 8.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Pirates 2