San Diego @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2013 ) San Diego 2, Pittsburgh 0

The Pittsburgh Pirates hope to get the bats going Tuesday when they continue a four-game series at home against the San Diego Padres. Pittsburgh managed just one single in the seventh inning against San Diego's Andrew Cashner in dropping the opener 2-0. Cashner faced the minimum against a Pirates team that has averaged 2.7 runs over its last 10 games.

Pittsburgh, though, remained tied with St. Louis atop the National League Central thanks to the Cardinals' 6- 2 loss at Colorado. The Pirates also continued to struggle at home against the Padres, who are 29-10 at PNC Park. San Diego has won nine of its last 13 games overall and has not allowed a run in 20 consecutive innings.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego (San Diego), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Stults (8-13, 4.03 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (10-5, 3.14)

Stults has already set career highs in almost every significant category but since the All-Star break he has needed one win to set a personal best in that category. He is 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA in the second half of the season but is coming off a quality start Thursday at Philadelphia, which managed two runs in six innings against Stults. The Pirates are the only National League team that the 33-year-old has never faced in 91 career games (69 starts).

After a difficult August that ended with him temporarily out of the rotation, Locke has shown signs of rediscovering the form that made him an All-Star this season. He allowed a run and three hits in seven innings - his longest start since July 8 - against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Locke has never faced San Diego.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh's starters are 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA in the team's last eight games.

2. The Pirates are 6-0-2 in their last eight four-game series.

3. San Diego has won all 12 of its series at PNC Park since it opened in 2001.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Padres 3