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Padres look to take three of four from Pirates

Jul 27, 2008 - 2:27 PM San Diego (40-65) at Pittsburgh (48-56), 1:35 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The lowly San Diego Padres look to win their third consecutive game in the finale of a four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday at PNC Park.

Jake Peavy (7-6, 2.76 ERA) will take the mound for the Padres with hopes of avoiding his seventh loss - one more than he had all of last season. In 2007, the powerful righthander went 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA while winning the National League Cy Young Award.

Peavy is 4-0 with a 1.30 ERA in his last five starts against the Pirates, although he hasn't faced them since 2006.

The Pirates will counter with Paul Maholm (7-6, 3.92), who has quietly established himself as the club's ace.

The 26-year-old is coming off a dominant outing against the Houston Astros on Tuesday in which he surrendered one run and five hits in eight sterling innings. He has also held opponents to three runs or less in eight of his last 10 starts.

After dropping a 9-1 decision on Thursday, the Padres have rattled off two straight wins against the Pirates, who traded outfielder Xavier Nady and lefthander Damaso Marte to the New York Yankees on Saturday.

Adrian Gonzalez led Saturday's charge, belting a three-run homer and a solo shot. Kevin Kouzmanoff also hit a three-run homer and Nick Hundley added two hits, including his first career homer.

Jason Michaels had a two-run homer and an RBI single on Saturday while teammate Adam LaRoche had a solo shot - his third homer of the series.