(Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays will try again to give new manager Cito Gaston his first win since returning to the bench, as they resume a three-game interleague set with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

On Friday, Toronto fired manager John Gibbons and elevated Gaston to the helm. Gaston is the first two-time manager of the Blue Jays, moving over from his position as club ambassador and special assistant to the president and CEO.

Gaston managed the Blue Jays from 1989-1997 and led the team to four playoff appearances including back to back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.

In his first game back, Gaston saw his Blue Jays suffer a tough 1-0 loss in 12 innings. Doug Mientkiewicz scored the winning run on a John McDonald fielding error in the bottom of the 12th inning.

Mientkiewicz was 3-for-4 while Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez each had two hits for the Pirates, who snapped a three game losing streak.

Pittsburgh starter Zach Duke held the opposition scoreless for seven innings. He allowed six hits and struck out four, but didn't factor into the decision. Tyler Yates (3-0) pitched two hitless innings for Pittsburgh while striking out one batter for the win.

Jesse Carlson (1-1) suffered the loss for Toronto allowing one run on two hits in the 12th, although Jason Frasor was on the mound for the winning run.

Roy Halladay threw seven shut-out innings for Toronto. The right-hander allowed six hits and fanned seven, but came away with a no-decision. He left the game in the seventh inning, though, after getting hit by a line drive above his right temple. The team says he is day-to-day and does not expect him to miss his next start.

McDonald and Alex Rios each went 2-for-5 for Toronto, which has lost six straight, tying a season-high.

Toronto will try to put an end to their losing ways behind the arm of Jesse Litsch tonight. The right-hander has struggled a bit of late, going 0-2 with a 5.60 ERA in three June starts.

In his last start on Sunday, Litsch gave up five earned runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 7-4 setback to the Chicago Cubs.

Litsch, who has never faced the Pirates before, is 0-2 with a 7.43 ERA in three career interleague appearances.

Getting the nod for Pittsburgh will be Paul Maholm, who owns a 2-0 mark with a 3.57 ERA over his last five starts. On Sunday, the left-hander surrendered two earned runs and six hits over six innings of work against Baltimore. He did not receive a decision in the Pirates' 5-4 win in 10 innings.

Maholm, who is 1-4 with a 4.50 ERA in eight lifetime interleague starts, has never squared off against the Blue Jays.

Toronto swept a three-game set from the Pirates the last time these teams met back in 2003.