Atlanta @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2014 ) Atlanta 7, Pittsburgh 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates hope to have All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen back in the fold on Tuesday when they host the Atlanta Braves. McCutchen, who has been sidelined with a fractured rib, took live swings Monday prior to the series opener and said he expects to be back in the lineup on the first day he is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list. The reigning National League Most Valuable Player leads the Pirates in hitting (.311), home runs (17) and RBIs (67).

McCutchen's return could not come at a better time as Pittsburgh has dropped a season-high six straight following a 7-3 loss to Atlanta on Monday night. Jason Heyward homered and added a sacrifice fly to fuel the attack for the Braves, who snapped a tie with the Pirates and pulled within a game of the second wild-card spot in the NL. Pittsburgh is two games back in that race and has tumbled six games out in the NL Central.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Aaron Harang (9-7, 3.51 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (3-9, 3.78)

Harang is winless over his last six starts despite posting a 3.47 ERA in that span. The worst outing of the stretch came Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who got to the veteran for five runs in 4 1/3 innings. Harang is 9-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 13 starts at Pittsburgh and 15-7 all-time versus the Pirates.

Liriano has a 2.36 ERA in seven starts since returning from the disabled list but just two wins to show for it. He let up two runs and struck out nine in six strong innings Thursday in Detroit, but the Pirates wound up on the wrong end of a 5-2 decision. Liriano, who has let up two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four home outings, has not faced Atlanta since June 11, 2010, when as a member of the Minnesota Twins he fanned 11 and yielded one run in eight outstanding innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates OF Starling Marte had two solo homers in Monday's loss and is 19-for-51 in 14 games while filling in for McCutchen in center field.

2. Braves LF Justin Upton has nine RBIs in his last nine games.

3. Pittsburgh OF Travis Snider is batting .412 during a nine-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Braves 3