Giants baseball returns to NBC Bay Area on Friday, as San Francisco opens a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Giants are looking to start the weekend series with a needed win at Oracle Park. Game preview: Giants vs. Pirates San Francisco has a 14-23 record overall a nd an 8-11 record at home. Giants hitters are batting a collective .238, which ranks 10th in the NL. Pittsburgh has a 10-8 record on the road and a 21-17 record overall. The Pirates have the eighth-ranked team slugging percentage in the NL at .387. Robbie Ray (2-4, 2.95 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 40 strikeouts) is expected to start for the Giants, while Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2, 4.76 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 40 strikeouts) is projected to take the mound for Pittsburgh. Friday’s matchup is the first time both teams meet each other this season. How to watch Giants vs. Pirates Friday’s game airs on NBC Bay Area, channel 11, cable 3. Coverage starts at 7 p.m., with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. For more Giants coverage, visit nbcbayarea.com/giants. Associated Press contributed to this report ...read more read less