Padres at Pirates
Christian Villanueva was on the verge of losing his job after going hitless for nearly two weeks, but the same powerful bat that performed so well in April appears to be back. The San Diego Padres look to secure their first series win in Pittsburgh since 2014 on Sunday when they face the Pirates in the finale of their four-game set.
After hitting .338 with eight homers and 19 RBIs in April, the 26-year-old third baseman promptly hit another home run in his first at-bat of May before falling into a 0-for-36 slump that led manager Andy Green to consider giving more playing time to Cory Spangenberg. Villanueva finally got out of his rut with a single against Colorado on May 14 and is 4-for-9 with two homers and four RBIs over his last three games, including a solo shot and RBI double in Saturday's 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh. While San Diego is 9-8 this month after going 10-20 in March and April combined, Pittsburgh has lost consecutive games after winning eight of its previous nine. The offense that served the Pirates so well during their surge (.293 average, 6.3 runs per game) has fallen on hard times over the last two contests, hitting .215 as a team while scoring a total of four runs.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Jordan Lyles (1-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (5-2, 2.72)
Lyles' bid for a perfect game fell five outs short against his most recent employer Tuesday versus Colorado, recording a career high-tying 10 strikeouts and the win after allowing a single and a walk. The 27-year-old South Carolinian, who is filling the rotation spot occupied by the injured Joey Lucchesi, permitted one earned run in five frames of a loss to St. Louis in his first turn of the season five days earlier. Lyles has struggled mightily versus Pittsburgh, going 0-5 with a 7.82 ERA in nine appearances (seven starts).
Williams produced his second scoreless start of at least six innings this season Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, allowing six hits and striking out six while throwing 94 pitches in seven frames. The Arizona State product has limited the opposition to two or fewer runs in seven of his nine outings and is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four turns at home this season. Right-handed batters are hitting .200 against Williams entering his first career start versus San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Pirates' defeats over the last two days mark only the second time this season they have dropped consecutive home games.
2. San Diego 1B Eric Hosmer went 0-for-4 with a walk Saturday, ending his seven-game hitting streak as well as his four-game RBI streak.
3. Pittsburgh SS Jordy Mercer, who ended a string of 16 hitless at-bats with an infield single Friday, went 3-for-3 and knocked in a run Saturday.