Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview

Pittsburgh at Chi. Cubs

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 8, Chi. Cubs 2

The Pittsburgh Pirates get one more shot at the woeful Chicago Cubs as they try to chase down a National League Central title. The Pirates have claimed the first two contests in the three-game series but haven't gained any ground on St. Louis, which leads the division by two games with four to play. Pittsburgh has clinched a postseason berth and is a game clear of Cincinnati in the race for home-field advantage in the wild-card game, with three games against the Reds looming this weekend.

The Pirates vie for their 13th win of the season series by sending left-hander Francisco Liriano to the mound. Liriano has gone 3-0 with a 1.24 ERA against Chicago in 2013 and held Cubs stars Starlin Castro (1-for-11), Darwin Barney (0-for-10) and Anthony Rizzo (0-for-11) in check. It's the final home game of the season for the Cubs, who are 30-50 at Wrigley Field - their worst home record for a full season since the start of the 162-game campaign.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (16-7, 2.88 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (4-4, 5.06)

Liriano's resurgent season continued with his third straight quality start in his last outing, holding Cincinnati to two runs on three hits over eight innings in a no-decision. The 29-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of his last 12 starts. Liriano is 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts against the Cubs and has been the winning pitcher in three of four meetings this year.

Arrieta continues to make a claim for a spot in the rotation in 2014 after limiting Milwaukee to one run on three hits over seven innings in a victory last time out. The 27-year-old has gone 3-2 with a 3.94 ERA since the Cubs acquired him from Baltimore. Arrieta is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh has gone deep in seven straight games, belting 11 home runs in that span.

2. The Cubs have hit .182 and scored a total of 40 runs in 18 games against the Pirates this season.

3. The Pirates have allowed two or fewer runs 69 times this season, the most in the majors.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Cubs 1