Updated

(SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of pitchers who rarely give up runs take the mound Saturday, as Matt Harvey and the New York Mets battle A.J. Burnett and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second test of a three-game set at PNC Park.

Harvey is 5-1 with a 1.98 earned run average in eight starts and tries to win for the first time since May 1. Harvey is 0-1 in his last three starts and recorded his second straight no-decision in Monday's 2-1 win over St. Louis, hurling eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and one walk.

The hard-throwing right-hander hasn't allowed a run in each of his previous two appearances and owns 18 K's with three walks in that span. Harvey threw seven innings of two-run ball in his only outing against Pittsburgh.

Burnett owns a 3-1 mark to go along with a 1.38 earned run average through eight starts and the veteran righty is coming off his third straight victory. In a 3-0 win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday, Burnett dazzled with seven shutout innings, seven strikeouts and five walks.

He has faced the Mets 24 times -- all starts -- in his career and is 5-9 with a 4.18 ERA.

Pittsburgh got the best of the Mets with Friday's 4-1 victory and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole was dominant through 8 1/3 innings, allowing one unearned run and six hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk. Mark Melancon got the final two outs of the game for his 10th save.

"He threw 111 pitches. He had a shot to close it down. It didn't happen there. He'll do that one of these days," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Cole.

Chris Stewart had two hits and an RBI, while Gregory Polanco, Pedro Alvarez and Jung-Ho Kang all drove in runs for the Pirates, who won for just the second time in their last eight tries.

Mets young pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard was saddled with the loss for allowing four runs (3 earned) and seven hits in six innings.

"Got to have a short memory and prepare for my next start," Syndergaard said.

New York lost for the eighth time in 12 tries and scored its only run of the game Friday when Juan Lagares came home on Cole's wild pitch in the third inning.

Pittsburgh went 4-3 against the Mets last season.