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Pirates begin Steel City set vs. Padres

Aug 5, 2011 - 3:01 PM (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh right-hander Jeff Karstens takes the mound tonight with a chance to stop a freefall, as the Pirates host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game weekend set at PNC Park.

The Pirates were on the short end of a four-game sweep against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, when Marlon Byrd had the 1,000th hit of his career in the fourth and drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as the visitors won, 7-6.

Chicago swept four games in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1959.

James McDonald pitched seven innings and gave up four runs on four hits and added a bases-clearing double for the Pirates, who have dropped a season-high seven straight games.

Garrett Jones had two doubles and a run scored while Daniel McCutchen (3-3) was tagged with the loss for giving up three runs in the eighth without recording an out.

The slumped has pushed the Pirates into third place in the National League's Central Division, where they sit seven games behind the Milwaukee Brewers and just a half-game up on fourth-place Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh is 26-29 at home this season and 25-20 against division foes.

Karstens, meanwhile, is 0-3 lifetime against the Padres in five appearances and hasn't won in 2011 since a complete-game effort beat Houston, 4-0, on July 15.

He's 0-1 with a pair of no-decisions since and has given up 20 hits and nine runs in 19 innings against Cincinnati, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

He's 4-3 in 11 home appearances this season with a 1.96 earned run average across 64 1/3 innings.

Pittsburgh is 12-11 in the 23 games Karstens has pitched this season.

For the Padres, San Diego native Aaron Harang pitches for the first time since a 10-6 loss to Colorado ended a five-decision win streak.

Previously, he'd not lost since dropping a 4-3 verdict to the Pirates on May 2 in San Diego after allowing four runs on five hits in five innings.

He's a solid 13-6 lifetime against the Padres in 23 starts with a 4.19 ERA in 148 1/3 innings.

San Diego is 12-6 in the games Harang has started this season.

On Wednesday in San Diego, Jason Bartlett homered to highlight a three-hit performance, helping the Padres avoid a sweep with a 3-0 victory over the Dodgers.

While San Diego plated only three runs, Tim Stauffer and the rest of the Padres pitching staff ensured a victory by holding Los Angeles scoreless.

Stauffer (7-8) gave up six hits and one walk in 6 1/3 innings, while Josh Spence got San Diego out of a bases-loaded situation in the seventh. Chad Qualls and Heath Bell finished the game to secure San Diego's third win in nine games.

Pittsburgh won two of three games at San Diego from May 2-4.