Seattle @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 27, 2016 ) Seattle 1, Pittsburgh 10

The Pittsburgh Pirates' road trip began with such promise, winning three of their first four games before surrendering a staggering 47 runs on 49 hits to lose each of their last three contests. The Pirates (65-85) hope a bit of home cookin' will cure what ails them on Tuesday as they open a three-game interleague series against the Seattle Mariners (62-88).

Pittsburgh, which will turn to right-hander Mitch Keller on Tuesday, saw its starting pitchers combine to yield 24 runs on 23 hits - including nine homers - over just nine innings in the weekend set against the Chicago Cubs. "Nobody is looking for sympathy out there. Nobody is looking for pity," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told reporters after Sunday's 16-6 shellacking by the Cubs. While Pittsburgh finds itself in the cellar of the National League Central, Seattle has made itself comfortable in the basement of the AL West despite winning four of its last six games. Rookie Kyle Lewis belted his fourth homer in six contests with a three-run blast to ignite a five-run rally in Sunday's 11-10 win over the Chicago White Sox.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (15-11, 4.30 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Mitch Keller (1-4, 8.29)

Gonzales improved upon his career season on Wednesday after allowing just two runs on five hits in seven innings of a 5-3 victory versus Cincinnati. The 27-year-old has set personal bests in wins, innings pitched (182.0) and starts (31) while his strikeouts (135) are just 10 shy of last season's career-high total. Gonzales, who will be facing Pittsburgh for the first time in his career, is just 6-7 on the road while permitting the opposition to bat .282 against him.

Keller fell to 0-3 in his last five starts last Tuesday after surrendering five runs on nine hits in five innings of a 5-4 setback at San Francisco. Stephen Vogt had a two-run single in the first inning and a two-run homer in the fifth to fluster the 23-year-old rookie, who was making his first start since taking a line drive off the wrist on his pitching hand in his previous outing. Keller returns to PNC Park where he owns a respectable 4.76 ERA, as opposed to a bloated 11.14 in five starts on the road.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle OF Domingo Santana will be available to return for the series opener after being sidelined with a right elbow strain.

2. Pittsburgh OF Bryan Reynolds had a pair of doubles on Sunday to boost his season total to 37, breaking Paul Waner's franchise record for most by a rookie.

3. Mariners 1B Austin Nola had four hits on Sunday after going 1-for-18 in his previous six games.

PREDICTION: Mariners 4, Pirates 3