Pittsburgh @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 4, San Francisco 0

The San Francisco Giants retired Barry Bonds’ number during a pregame ceremony on Saturday, but that was about the day's lone highlight as the team’s playoff hopes continued to fade. The Giants aim for a split of their four-game series against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after being held to six singles in a 4-0 loss.

Trevor Williams tossed seven strong innings and Josh Bell crushed a three-run homer in Saturday’s victory as Pittsburgh won for the fourth time in five contests and climbed within four games of the second wild card in the National League. Catcher Francisco Cervelli exited the contest in the first inning after being struck in the mask by a foul ball and is listed as day-to-day. San Francisco is six games out of first place in the NL West and seven out of the second wild-card spot but may have found a fifth starter in Casey Kelly, who made his team debut on Saturday and threw five scoreless innings in relief of Ty Blach. Buster Posey and Evan Longoria recorded two hits apiece in the loss, but Joe Panik went 0-for-2 and is 5-for-25 with two RBIs since returning from the disabled list on July 30.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Joe Musgrove (4-6, 3.41 ERA) vs. Giants RH Dereck Rodriguez (5-1, 2.34)

Musgrove recorded his third straight quality start on Monday, allowing two runs - one earned - over seven innings at Colorado. “I thought that was some of the best stuff I’d had all year,” he told reporters. “My slider was the best it’s felt, the depth on it, the shape of it, was really good.” The 25-year-old native of San Diego, who will be facing San Francisco for the first time, has allowed a total of four runs over 21 frames in his last three outings.

Rodríguez has entered the discussion for NL Rookie of the Year after working six or more innings and allowing fewer than three runs in seven consecutive starts, posting a 1.36 ERA over that stretch. The 26-year-old son of Hall-of-Famer Ivan Rodriguez turned in another gem Monday against Houston, striking out seven without issuing a walk in seven scoreless frames. Dereck Rodriguez has been especially sharp since the All-Star break, allowing a total of four runs and 14 hits over 26 1/3 innings in four starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates are 9-3 in their last 12 games at AT&T Park.

2. San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt (knee) began his rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday and could rejoin the team early next week.

3. The Pirates optioned RHPs Casey Sadler and Clay Holmes to Triple-A Indianapolis and recalled LHP Buddy Boshers and RHP Michael Feliz from the club.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Pirates 3