Pittsburgh @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 2, San Diego 4

The Pittsburgh Pirates are letting games slip away as the race in the National League Central tightens. The Pirates attempt to win for the third time in 10 games when they visit the San Diego Padres for the start of a three-game series on Monday. Three of Pittsburgh’s last four losses have come in extra innings, including a 4-2 setback in 16 frames on Sunday.

That crushing defeat dropped the Pirates’ lead in the NL Central to one game over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Padres are no strangers to dramatic late victories and got a walk-off home run from red-hot Will Venable to beat the New York Mets on Sunday. Venable is riding a 15-game hitting streak and went 8-for-19 with a pair of home runs in four games against the Mets.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN (San Diego)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (13-5, 2.68 ERA) vs. Padres RH Andrew Cashner (8-7, 3.87)

Liriano recovered from his worst outing of the season with a complete-game four-hitter at St. Louis on Tuesday, yielding one run to earn the win. The Dominican native was bashed around for 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings at Colorado in his previous turn but has held four of his last five opponents to one or no runs. Liriano is 6-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 10 road starts.

Cashner is coming off two straight losses but went seven innings and struck out seven at Colorado on Wednesday, surrendering three runs. The 26-year-old is aiming for a fourth straight start without yielding a home run and has surrendered only two long balls since the end of May. Cashner does not have a career start against Pittsburgh but is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in four relief appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen has multiple hits in five of the last seven games.

2. San Diego C Nick Hundley is 5-for-7 with a home run in two games since returning from paternity leave.

3. Pittsburgh is just 9-12 against the NL West.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Padres 2