(Sports Network) - Chad Billingsley will try to win four straight starts for the second time this season when he leads the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight in the third test of a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Billingsley has ripped off three straight wins and last posted four consecutive victories from June 17-July 3. In his most recent outing Friday at Colorado, Billingsley lasted six innings for the seventh straight time and allowed two runs in a 7-2 victory. He improved to 15-10 with a 3.02 ERA this season.

The righty is 2-0 with a 4.22 ERA in five career appearances, one of which was a start, against Pittsburgh.

Los Angeles hopes Billingsley can keep its comfortable lead atop the National League West standings on Wednesday. The Dodgers are 4 1/2 games ahead of Arizona and have won two straight, six of seven and 14 of their last 16 games. In Tuesday's 6-2 victory over the Buccos, starter Derek Lowe tossed seven strong innings and gave up just five hits and one run, while fanning three without issuing a walk.

Lowe has now won four straight starts and six of his last seven decisions.

Casey Blake had three hits and a pair of RBI for the Dodgers, who got three hits and an RBI from Manny Ramirez as the outfielder extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Pittsburgh has dropped two in a row since a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. Starting pitcher Jeff Karstens gave up 11 hits and five runs -- two earned -- in dropping his sixth straight start for the Pirates, who have lost eight of their last 11 games.

Ryan Doumit and Brandon Moss drove in the Pirates' runs.

The Pirates will hand the ball to Zach Duke on Wednesday and he is 5-14 with a 4.84 earned run average this season. Duke is just 1-10 in his 16 most recent starts and last toed the rubber on Thursday at Houston, when he allowed six runs -- two earned -- through 4 2/3 innings of a 6-0 loss. Duke has only two wins since June 9.

The left-hander is 1-3 with a 7.28 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers. Duke faced LA on April 14 of this season and did not factor in the outcome of a 6-4 win at Chavez Ravine. He allowed four runs (3 earned) and eight hits in six innings.

Los Angeles won two of three games versus the Pirates at Dodger Stadium from April 14-16. The Dodgers have won six of the last seven meetings in this series.