Pittsburgh @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 7

The Pittsburgh Pirates were left out of the big-name fun at Thursday’s trade deadline while their main competitors in the National League Central both made upgrades. The Pirates will try to prove they still have enough and attempt to even the four-game series when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. The Diamondbacks made one of those moves to help out NL Central-leading Milwaukee and got some help from new faces in Thursday’s 7-4 triumph.

The Diamondbacks gave former top prospect Andy Marte his first major-league at-bat since he was with the Cleveland Indians in 2010 and Marte drilled a tie-breaking two-run homer in the series opener. Marte, Jordan Pacheco and Nick Ahmed, who also had big games Thursday, figure to get a long look the rest of the regular season. Pittsburgh sits 2 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the Central and a half-game behind the St. Louis Cardinals, who brought in right-hander John Lackey while the Pirates missed out on Lackey, Jon Lester and the rest of the big-name pitchers that got traded.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Edinson Volquez (8-7, 3.87 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Vidal Nuno (2-7, 4.97)

Volquez enjoyed an outstanding four-start stretch before the All-Star break in which he allowed a total of three runs in 30 innings. The veteran has not been as sharp in two starts since, surrendering nine runs - seven earned - and 16 runs in 10 innings. Volquez will be facing Arizona for the first time this season and is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in nine career starts against the team.

Nuno came over earlier in July as the Diamondbacks were just getting used to their position as sellers and has yet to win in four starts with the club. The former New York Yankee tossed seven scoreless innings in his Arizona debut on July 8 but has been knocked around for 11 runs - nine earned - in 16 1/3 innings over the last three. Nuno faced Pittsburgh as a member of the Yankees on May 18 and allowed three runs - two earned - in six innings without factoring in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen is 2-for-22 over his last six games.

2. Arizona RHP Addison Reed has allowed one run and three hits while striking out 10 in his last eight appearances.

3. Pittsburgh is 5-9 in its last 14 road games and is the only NL team with a winning record overall but a losing road record (23-30).

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Diamondbacks 4