(SportsNetwork.com) - Edinson Volquez tries to win a season-high third consecutive start when he leads the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Philadelphia Phillies in the middle contest of a three-game series.

The 30-year-old right-hander is coming off a 6-0 win over the Mets at PNC Park Sunday. Volquez carries a 13-inning scoreless stretch into today's contest. He's 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies.

David Buchanan, who counters for the Phillies, saw a personal three-game winning streak broken in his last start. On Sunday against Atlanta, he allowed five hits and three runs in five innings of a 3-2 loss. This will be his first appearance against the Pirates.

Jordy Mercer collected two hits and drove in four runs, as Pittsburgh came up with an 8-2 victory on Friday. Andrew McCutchen finished a home run shy of the cycle, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI for the Pirates, who have won four of their last five.

Gerrit Cole (7-4) left after fanning five and giving up one hit through five innings and 80 pitches due to right lat soreness. Five different relievers combined to finish off the two-hitter.

"It just started getting a little tight and, just coming off the DL, we just wanted to err on the side of caution," Cole said.

Chase Utley recorded an RBI single, Ben Revere logged the only other hit for the Phillies, losers in seven of their last eight.

Roberto Hernandez (3-8) departed after 5 2/3 frames having allowed 10 hits and five runs with four walks. He gave up four runs in the first inning, during which the Pirates had three steals.

"It just sets a poor tone for the first inning," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said.

The Pirates have won each of their last four series and have gone 8-2 in their last 10.

Yesterday marked the first meeting of the season. The Pirates won the previous two season sets, 4-3, in 2012 and 2013.