The Oakland Athletics will look to remain perfect against the Pittsburgh Pirates as they attempt to complete a sweep of the three-game interleague series at PNC Park on Wednesday. Oakland took the first two games of the set by identical 2-1 scores to improve to 11-0 all-time against Pittsburgh. Brandon Moss belted a two-run homer on Tuesday to erase a deficit and Dan Straily tossed 6 1/3 strong innings before Grant Balfour closed out the victory with his franchise-record 42nd consecutive save.
The Athletics have won 10 of their last 13 contests and sit one-half game ahead of the Texas Rangers atop the American League West. Pittsburgh, which trails the first-place St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games in the National League Central, has scored a total of six runs while losing its last four contests. Pedro Alvarez accounted for the Pirates' lone run Tuesday with his 23rd homer of the season, putting him one behind Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez for the NL lead.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh), ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Tommy Milone (8-7, 4.11 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (8-3, 2.20)
Milone is 2-0 in his last three starts despite allowing a total of 11 runs over 19 innings. The 26-year-old carried a shutout into the ninth inning at Kansas City on Friday before yielding three runs in a 6-3 triumph. Milone, who is 4-4 on the road this season, will be facing Pittsburgh for the first time in his career.
Liriano is seeking his fourth straight win and sixth in seven starts. The 29-year-old Dominican tossed his second career complete game and first since 2011 while with Minnesota on Friday, limiting the Cubs to two runs and four hits in Chicago. Liriano, who is 4-1 in five home outings this year, owns a 3-4 record and 4.59 ERA in 14 career games - 12 starts - against Oakland.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Pirates have lost two in a row following an eight-game interleague winning streak.
2. Alvarez joined Ralph Kiner and Willie Stargell as the only Pirates with at least 23 homers before the All-Star break.
3. Moss has hit 37 home runs in 168 games with Oakland over the last two seasons. He entered 2012 with 15 blasts in 249 career contests with Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
PREDICTION: Pirates 3, Athletics 2