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Diamondbacks-Pirates Preview

Aug 6, 2009 - 4:31 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Arizona (48-59) at Pittsburgh (45-61), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Kevin Hart won his last start to help his team take over the NL Central lead. By the time he left the clubhouse after that game, he was at the bottom of the race.

Making his debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Hart looks to win his fourth straight start and help his new club avoid a three-game sweep against the surging Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night at PNC Park.

After spending nearly three months in the minors to start the season, Hart (3-1, 2.60 ERA) was very effective once he landed a spot in the Chicago Cubs' bullpen, posting a 1.59 ERA over 5 2-3 innings spanning four games.

The right-hander handled the transition to the starting rotation just as well, going 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA in four starts, including a 12-3 win over Houston last Thursday. He gave up three runs in six innings of his third straight victory.

Despite another strong performance, the division-leading Cubs told Hart he'd been traded to the last-place Pirates immediately after that game.

"It's a little weird, a little different," Hart said while still wearing a Cubs sweatshirt in a mostly empty clubhouse after his former teammates had rushed off to the airport.

Hart, who said he had no idea he'd be moved before the trade deadline, was optimistic that he could help the Pirates (45-62).

"I get to hopefully go over there and move into the rotation and never give it up," he said.

Hart takes the mound hoping to help the Pirates avoid their fifth straight defeat and first three-game sweep at home this season. They snapped a three-game scoreless streak against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night but blew a 2-1 lead by giving up three runs in the eighth inning of the 4-3 loss.

Stephen Drew hit a tiebreaking two-run single with two outs to cap the eighth-inning rally and give Arizona (49-59) its fourth straight win.

"It feels like last year, where everybody's together, and even though we're down, it doesn't seem like it anymore," Drew said. "Hopefully we keep this thing rolling. ... We're playing better, and it's showing, and we're having fun."

Arizona has also won four straight against Pittsburgh - all since the All-Star break - by a combined 26-3. Overall, it's won six of seven and 18 of 28.

"I just feel like we're unified behind trying to get better," said manager A.J. Hinch, who took over the team after Bob Melvin's firing May 8. "The amount of stress and anxiety and notoriety that's been on this club all year weighed on a lot of guys and I feel some of that pressure lifting. Our group is a lot closer today than a couple months ago."

The Diamondbacks could have a little more pressure with Justin Upton missing Thursday's game. The All-Star outfielder, who's second on the team with 20 homers and 66 RBIs, strained his right oblique attempting to steal a base in the eighth inning Wednesday. Hinch said Upton will be re-evaluated and didn't rule out a stint on the disabled list.

Max Scherzer (6-6, 3.80) will take the mound for Arizona's last game against Pittsburgh in 2009. In his first career start against the Pirates, the right-hander held them to five hits while striking out eight in seven innings of a 9-0 victory last Sunday.

Scherzer followed that win by giving up four runs in four innings Saturday, failing to get a decision in the Diamondbacks' 9-6 road loss to the New York Mets.