Giants at Pirates
A pair of teams heading in opposite directions meet Sunday in Pittsburgh, where the surging Pirates aim for their second straight series sweep in the finale of a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants. Jordy Mercer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Pirates to a 6-5 win in Saturday's contest.
It was Pittsburgh's season high-tying fifth consecutive victory and it sent the Giants to their season-high sixth straight loss. Gregory Polanco homered for the second time in three games and Francisco Cervelli slugged his sixth home run to surpass his 2017 total and pace the Pirates' attack. Former Pittsburgh great Andrew McCutchen had a pair of doubles in the loss for San Francisco while extending his hitting streak to 11 games, during which he has raised his batting average from .200 to .254. Ivan Nova looks to improve to 3-0 in day games when he gets the start Sunday for Pittsburgh opposite veteran southpaw Derek Holland.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Derek Holland (1-4, 5.66 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Ivan Nova (2-2, 4.84)
Holland fell to 8-18 over the last two years after allowing three runs in five innings of a defeat at Philadelphia on Tuesday. He completed six innings just twice in his first seven outings and has served up seven home runs over his last five. The Ohio native, who is facing Pittsburgh for the first time, is winless in his last 12 road starts while posting a 10.53 ERA.
Nova lasted two innings while allowing five runs in a rocky outing at the Chicago White Sox his last time out. He will be making his third home start of the year, the most recent of which saw him spin eight scoreless frames against the Detroit Tigers on April 26. Austin Jackson is 8-for-16 with three doubles against Nova, who has a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco is giving up an average of 8.2 runs during its losing streak.
2. McCutchen needs three hits to reach 1,500 for his career.
3. The Pirates have won seven in a row at home.