Right-hander James McDonald can end a three-start drought tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game weekend series at PNC Park.
McDonald, a 28-year-old California native, was 10-3 on the season after a 9-8 win at Colorado on July 18 in which he allowed six runs on nine hits in six innings.
He's dropped two decisions in three starts since, however, losing to the Chicago Cubs and Houston and getting a no-decision against Cincinnati, while allowing 18 hits and 14 runs in 17 innings.
His earned run average, which had dropped as low as 2.19 in mid-June, has since risen to 3.42.
Coming in to 2012, McDonald had never won more than nine games.
He's 1-1 in six career meetings with the Padres with a 5.87 ERA in 15 1/3 innings.
San Diego goes with former National League all-star Edinson Volquez, who had a four-decision win streak snapped in his last start.
Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, Volquez began his initial year with San Diego at 3-7 after a 7-3 loss to Texas on June 19.
He subsequently reeled off four straight wins across seven starts before walking four batters and giving up four runs in just 1 2/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to the New York Mets on Aug. 4.
He's 1-0 in seven career starts against Pittsburgh with a 3.67 ERA in 41 2/3 innings.
Volquez was a 17-game winner with the Reds in 2008, but slumped with injuries and ineffectiveness afterward - winning just 13 more games with the Reds from 2009-2011.
On Thursday in Pittsburgh, Jason Kubel hit a pair of two-run homers and the Arizona Diamondbacks took down the Pirates, 6-3, to split a four-game series.
Michael McKenry, Jordy Mercer and Starling Marte each had an RBI for the Pirates.
Wandy Rodriguez (7-11) allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings to take the loss. He fell to 0-2 as a member of the Pirates.
Pittsburgh remained 2 1/2 games behind the Reds in the National League Central Division. Cincinnati lost it fifth straight, 5-3, against the Chicago Cubs.
On Wednesday in San Diego, Clayton Richard tossed his second career shutout and the Padres finished off a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 2-0 victory.
Richard (9-11) scattered five hits - all singles - and two walks while fanning five for the Padres, who completed a successful 5-1 homestand.
Will Venable and Yonder Alonso each knocked in a run for the victors.
This is the first meeting of the teams in 2012. San Diego won last year's season series, 4-2, including a three-game sweep in Pittsburgh from Aug. 5-7.
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