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Pirates in search of first series sweep since May

Jun 22, 2008 - 2:17 PM Toronto (35-41) at Pittsburgh (36-39) 1:35 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will be looking for their first series sweep since May 6-8 when they host their finale against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

The Pirates, who have not managed a winning season since 1992, pulled within three games of .500 on Saturday by using three homers to double up the Blue Jays, 6-3. Jason Bay started the power surge in the first inning with a two-run blast and Raul Chavez followed in the second with his first homer since 2005.

Bay's blast was his 15th of the season as he continues a solid bounce-back campaign from his disappointing 2007 season in which he managed a career-low .247 batting average and 21 homers. The subject of numerous trade rumors early this season, Bay has upped his retail value by batting .282 and scoring 52 runs.

Pittsburgh took the series opener in dramatic fashion on Friday, snapping a scoreless tie in the 12th inning when Jason Michaels scored the winning run on a fielding error by Toronto shortstop John McDonald.

The Pirates will send righthander Ian Snell (3-7, 5.84 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. The 26-year-old is coming off his worst start of the season, giving up seven runs and nine hits while walking six in four innings in Tuesday's 16-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox. It was his fifth loss in six starts.

Toronto will counter with righthander Dustin McGowan (5-5, 4.15). The 26-year-old allowed four runs and four hits in four innings at Milwaukee on Tuesday to suffer his first loss in almost a month.

McGowan struck out five but surrendered three home runs as he failed to finish five innings for the third time in 15 starts this season.

The Blue Jays have dropped seven straight games and 14 of 18 in June.