• Where: Cinergy Field, Cincinnati.

        • When: Today, 7:05 p.m. and Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.; Thursday, 12:35 p.m.

        • Radio: WLW-AM (700).

        • TV: Fox Sports Network, today only.

        • Pitching matchups:

        Today, Rob Bell (2-2, 4.62 ERA) vs. Todd Ritchie (2-1, 3.63)

        Wednesday, Denny Neagle (4-0, 3.67) vs. Jimmy Anderson (1-1, 4.28)

        Thursday, Osvaldo Fernandez (0-0, 5.69) vs. Jason Schmidt (1-3, 4.76).

        • The bats: Brian Giles and Jason Kendall are the two Pirates most worth watching. Giles ranks third in the league with 38 RBI, seventh with a .689 slugging percentage and eighth with a .378 average with runners in scoring position. Kendall is fourth in road batting average (.367) and seventh in on-base percentage (.445).

        The arms: Pittsburgh ranks fourth in the league with a 4.43 ERA, with relievers (4.26) faring slightly better than starters (4.52). Cincinnati native Scott Sauerbeck remains one of the Pirates' top relievers, posting a 2-0 record with a 3.32 ERA and a .219 opponents' batting average.

        • The rest: Cincinnati won two of three at Pittsburgh April 28-30 in a series that was shortened one game by rain. The Bucs have remained competitive in the division by winning two in a row and eight of their last 12.

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