Kansas City @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2018 ) Kansas City 6, Pittsburgh 7

The Pittsburgh Pirates are no strangers to comeback victories or success in interleague action, but neither one figures to keep them from missing the postseason for a third straight year. The Pirates set their sights on a fourth straight victory and hope to improve to 14-5 against the American League in 2018 on Tuesday when they continue a three-game series at home versus the Kansas City Royals.

Rookie Jacob Stallings delivered a two-out, go-ahead single in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday as Pittsburgh staged its 28th comeback win in Monday's 7-6 victory. Five players had multiple hits in a 17-hit attack for the Pirates, who have won six in a row at home but trail St. Louis by seven games for the final National League wild-card slot with 13 contests remaining. Ryan O'Hearn homered for the 11th time in 36 games since making his big-league debut on July 31 and drove in a pair of runs, but it wasn't enough as Kansas City's bullpen coughed up a two-run advantage in the eighth. Despite consecutive losses, the Royals are 9-7 in September and still on track to post their first winning month of the season.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Eric Skoglund (1-5, 6.19 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jameson Taillon (13-9, 3.37)

Skoglund held his own in his second appearance and first start back following a long stint on the disabled list, permitting two runs over five innings in Wednesday's no-decision against the Chicago White Sox. The Pirates' 16th-round pick in 2011 has posted a 2.57 ERA since his return after going 1-5 with a 6.70 ERA prior to missing more than three months with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain. Skoglund has allowed three runs across 2 1/3 innings in two interleague games (one start) as he faces Pittsburgh for the first time.

Taillon won his fourth straight start Tuesday in St. Louis, yielding two runs over seven innings to improve to 7-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 10 outings since the All-Star break. The former No. 1 overall pick, who has already set career highs in wins, starts (29), innings (171) and strikeouts (156), has not allowed more than three runs in 19 consecutive turns dating back to May 22. Taillon is 4-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 11 career interleague outings entering his first start against Kansas City.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates OF Starling Marte went 2-for-5 in the opener, lifting his batting average in interleague play this season to .362.

2. Kansas City has dropped 15 of its last 18 on the road.

3. Pittsburgh 2B Adam Frazier fouled a ball off his knee Monday and was lifted from the game after hitting a two-run double in the fourth inning.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Royals 2