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(Sports Network) - Japanese import Hiroki Kuroda makes the third start of his major-league career when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight in the first of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

A 33-year-old native of Osaka, Kuroda was a winner in his initial appearance on April 7 at San Diego, allowing just three hits and a run in seven innings of a 7-1 defeat of the Padres. He was beaten in start No. 2 after giving up nine hits and two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 4-3 loss at Arizona on Wednesday.

This is the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder's first start at home.

Young lefty Zach Duke again looks for his first win for the Pirates in 2008 when he toes the rubber this afternoon.

The native of Clifton, Texas, who'll turn 25 on Saturday, has faced Atlanta and the Chicago Cubs in two starts so far, allowing 18 hits and three earned runs in 12 2/3 innings. He's struck out seven and walked two.

In four lifetime starts against the Dodgers, Duke is 1-3 with a 7.99 earned run average in 23 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh is coming off a three-game home sweep of Cincinnati and routed the Reds, 9-1, in Sunday's finale. Jason Bay hit a three-run homer and Ryan Doumit and Xavier Nady to lead the way.

Luis Rivas chipped in a double and two RBI for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight after dropping its previous three games.

Tom Gorzelanny (1-1) turned in a solid outing in earning the win. The left- hander gave up one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings. The Pirates bullpen was equally effective, allowing just two hits and one walk over 2 2/3 inning of relief work.

In Los Angeles on Sunday, San Diego's Paul McAnulty knocked in the lone run of the contest and Greg Maddux picked up his 349th career win as the Padres edged the Dodgers, 1-0, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Chad Billingsley (0-2) went five innings for Los Angeles, allowing one run on four hits while fanning eight and walking a pair. The Dodgers have lost five of six.

Los Angeles was limited to five hits, while the Padres had just six.

The Dodgers took three of four games from the Pirates in their lone visit to PNC Park last season and are 7-4 in the Steel City since 2005. Los Angeles also won five of the seven overall encounters between the clubs last year.