Pirates-Dodgers Preview

The Los Angeles Dodgers have 18 games left as they try to clinch a return trip to the postseason. More than half of them are against last-place teams.

The Dodgers will play the first of seven remaining games against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night in the opener of a three-game home set.

Los Angeles (85-59) leads Colorado by three games in the NL West as manager Joe Torre seeks a 14th straight postseason appearance, which would match Atlanta's Bobby Cox for the longest in history. Torre guided the Dodgers to the West title last year in his first year with the club after 12 years with the Yankees.

His current club has a fairly easy schedule remaining, with seven games against the NL Central's worst in Pittsburgh (55-86) and three versus NL East last-place club Washington. The Dodgers and Pirates haven't met this year, with Los Angeles winning five of seven each of the last two years.

"Pittsburgh is going to be a tough series," right fielder Andre Ethier told the Dodgers' official Web site. "Who knows what they'll throw at us?"

The Dodgers are back home after winning series in Arizona and San Francisco on a 4-2 road trip. They missed a chance at a sweep of the Giants after a 7-2 loss Sunday.

Los Angeles expects first baseman James Loney to be available after he received a scare Sunday. Loney collided with first-base umpire Sam Holbrook while trying to field a ball in the fourth inning, but remained in the game.

Torre has been resting players periodically and gave Manny Ramirez the day off Sunday. Ramirez has five hits in his last three games after batting .255 (13 for 51) over his previous 15.

Jon Garland (9-11, 4.23 ERA) will make his third start with the Dodgers since being acquired from the Diamondbacks on Aug. 31. Garland is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in the first two.

The right-hander allowed three runs over six innings Wednesday in a 4-3 loss at Arizona after winning his previous three outings.

Garland will make his second career start against the Pirates, losing 4-2 June 15, 2007, with the White Sox. Pittsburgh regulars Ronny Cedeno, Garrett Jones and Lastings Milledge are all 0 for 3 against Garland.

The Pirates arrive in Los Angeles feeling better about themselves after ending a 13-game road slide with a 2-1 victory over Houston on Sunday. Ryan Doumit homered and Paul Maholm pitched eight scoreless innings.

"We're in a lot of games, (but) we can't find a way to get the win," manager John Russell told the Pirates' official Web site. "Today, we did, and hopefully, the guys will build off that."

Daniel McCutchen (0-1, 4.85) will make his third major league start for Pittsburgh and first against Los Angeles. He gave up four runs over seven innings last Monday in a 4-2 loss to the Cubs.

McCutchen was originally slated to join Team USA for this month's World Cup in Europe. The right-hander was instead called up from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he went 13-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 24 starts.