Otago fought back with the ball but let it slip with the bat to leave Auckland better-placed at Eden Park Outer Oval yesterday.
Auckland resumed on 314 for seven and was quickly bundled out for 337.
In reply, Otago was 147 for five when rain ushered in a premature end to day two of the Plunket Shield match.
The Volts trail by 190 runs but, with more rain forecast for today, the game might be destined for a draw.
The visitors started well. Jacob Duffy snaffled two quick wickets to finish with three for 73 from 24 overs, while Matt Bacon removed centurion Mark Chapman (104) to wrap up the innings.
Bacon finished with four for 78, which represented a good return. The right-armer was overlooked for most of the twenty20 campaign. But he has proven to be very handy with the red ball.
The 25-year-old is yet to grab a five-wicket bag but he has taken four wickets in an innings on four occasions and he is only part way through his ninth first-class game. You cannot argue with that strike rate.
Hamish Rutherford got the Otago innings off to a brisk start.
He dispatched a series of boundaries but rookie opener Camden Hawkins got a terrific ball and had to depart for 10 having not offered a shot.
Matt McEwan got the ball to swing in and nip back off the pitch. Normally it would have been a good leave by Hawkins. But not this time.
Josh Tasman-Jones (42) joined Rutherford (54) and the pair put on 68 for the second wicket to guide Otago through to 107 for one.
It was a decent platform but they were both undone by Sean Solia in the space of four overs.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mitch Renwick could not get off the mark, and the out of form Shawn Hicks got an outside edge on 17.
His dismissal meant the Volts had lost four wickets for 40 runs. That has left the middle and lower order with plenty of work to do.
At the Basin Reserve, Wellington resumed on 367 for five. The declaration came at 400 with Devon Conway unbeaten on 156.
Northern Districts was 81 for one in reply on a rain-affected day, on which more than half the available overs were wiped out.
The match in Rangiora is shaping up as a thrilling encounter.
Canterbury secured a slim first innings advantage of 19 runs.
Cameron Fletcher top-scored with 60 to help his side reach 280.
Central Districts is 106 for three in its second innings and leads by 87 runs.
