AP Sports Preview: Diamondbacks at Pirates

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates, two teams locked in a dead heat for a National League wild-card berth, meet Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park in a pivotal rubber match of their three-game series.

First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. EDT under a forecast of 74 degrees and rain. Both clubs enter the game with identical 55-52 records.

The betting line favors Pittsburgh by 1.5 runs, with an over/under of 8.5. A projection from Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 6-5 Arizona victory.

Right-hander Merrill Kelly (8-8, 3.72 ERA) is scheduled to start for Arizona. Kelly earned a win in his last outing July 22 against but took a no-decision Monday in Pittsburgh despite allowing no earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his past five starts.

Right-hander Mitch Keller (9-6, 3.89 ERA) is set to counter for Pittsburgh. Keller earned the win Monday against Arizona, surrendering two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his past four outings.

The series has been tightly contested. After Pittsburgh won 3-2 in 10 innings Monday, Arizona answered with a 5-0 shutout Tuesday.

Arizona’s Max Kepler went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in Monday’s loss. For Pittsburgh, Brandon Lowe went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the win.

The Diamondbacks will open a three-game series at Cleveland on Friday. The Pirates travel to Cincinnati for a four-game set Thursday.