Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 6

The Pittsburgh Pirates' rapid fall in the standings is coinciding with an inability to beat teams with losing records. The Pirates will try to avoid a fifth straight loss to a sub.-500 opponent when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies for the second of a four-game series on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh fell for the 12th time in 14 games with a 6-2 loss in Monday's series opener, and seven of those setbacks came against teams with nothing to play for this month (Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Philadelphia). The Pirates sit six games behind the New York Mets in the race for the second National League wild card, with the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins in between. The Phillies are in the middle of a massive rebuilding effort and got a positive sign from prospect Roman Quinn, who recorded a pair of hits and drove in two in his second career game on Monday. Odubel Herrera, 24, added two more hits as Philadelphia (64-80) eclipsed last season's win total.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (6-12, 4.13 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Alec Asher (1-0, 0.00)

Nova has been fantastic since joining Pittsburgh at the trade deadline and breezed to his second complete game in the last four starts against Cincinnati on Thursday. The Dominican Republic native needed 94 pitches to get through the nine frames last time out and allowed one run on six hits without a walk. Nova is 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA in his seven starts with the Pirates and has issued a total of two walks in 46 1/3 innings.

Asher made his season debut at Washington on Thursday and dominated through six innings, scattering two hits without allowing a run to earn the win. The 24-year-old had his season halted by an 80-game PED suspension but was solid in the minors after being reinstated and earned another chance in the Philadelphia rotation. Asher, who went 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA in seven starts for the Phillies in 2015, is seeing the Pirates for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates 2B Josh Harrison (right groin strain) is expected to miss the rest of the season.

2. Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard struck out in each of his three at-bats on Monday and is batting .193.

3. Pittsburgh 3B Jung Ho Kang was named National League Player of the Week on Monday and responded by recording two of his team's five hits in the loss.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Phillies 3