(Sports Network) - Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Scott Kazmir will try to get back in the win column this evening, when he leads the club in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Kazmir is 0-2 with a 3.71 earned run average in his last three starts, which followed a personal six-game winning streak. He previously took the hill on Sunday in a 3-2 loss versus Houston, yielding three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings to fall to 6-3 with a 2.03 ERA in 10 2008 starts.

The left-hander and former first-round pick of the New York Mets has faced Pittsburgh just once in his career, back on June 11 of the 2005 campaign. During an embarrassing 18-2 loss in the Steel City that day, Kazmir was reached for nine runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 frames.

Countering Kazmir in his major league debut will be Jimmy Barthmaier, who is expected to be called up by the Pirates on Friday to make the start. With starter Ian Snell on the disabled list, Barthmaier gets a shot for a position in the rotation. He spent five years in the Houston organization before being claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh in the offseason.

Barthmaier, a right-hander, compiled a 2-1 mark at Triple-A Indianapolis and a 2-4 mark in 10 starts with Double-A Altoona.

Tampa Bay will try to bang the newcomer around in the opener of this series tonight in the Steel City. It just swept the Florida Marlins in three games at Dolphin Stadium and has won four of five and nine of its last 12 games.

The Rays got a great showing from starter Matt Garza, who flirted with a no- hitter until giving up a solo home run to Hanley Ramirez in the seventh inning.

Garza went the distance for the first time in his career and permitted just one run with a walk and 10 strikeouts to become the second Rays pitcher to throw a one-hitter this year. James Shields did it May 9 against the Angels.

Evan Longoria finished 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and two runs scored and Shawn Riggans drove in three runs for Tampa Bay.

The Rays, who are a half-game back of the Boston Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East, are unbeaten (3-0) on a six-game road trip and 17-18 as the visitor this season.

Pittsburgh had its finale of a three-game series versus the New York Yankees on Thursday postponed due to rain. Play was interrupted with two outs in the top of the third inning because of heavy rains and was officially called off after more than a two-hour delay. New York led 3-1 at the time.

The makeup is game scheduled for Thursday, July 10 at 7:05 p.m.

The Pirates won the opener of the set with New York by a 12-5 score, but suffered a 10-0 drubbing in the second installment on Wednesday. Jack Wilson highlighted the Pittsburgh offense with three hits and Ryan Doumit finished 2- for-4 with the only extra base hit for the Bucs. Wilson is batting .417 in his last six contests.

Pirates starting pitcher Zach Duke was roughed up for four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits through five innings of work to absorb the loss.

Pittsburgh is 4-7 in its last 11 games and 24-17 as the host this season.

Pittsburgh won two of three games at home versus Tampa Bay from June 10-12 of the 2005 campaign and is 4-2 in its six meetings with the Rays. The Pirates are 4-7 in interleague play this season, while the Rays own a 10-5 record.

The Pirates also sport a 61-101 mark against the AL, compared to Tampa's 84-109 ledger versus the National League.