Pirates at Brewers
The Pittsburgh Pirates' pitching staff has shown a disturbing tendency to allow opponents to tee off against them this season, especially when they are facing the Milwaukee Brewers. After giving up yet another explosive offensive performance, the Pirates hope to cool off the bats of the Brewers when the National League Central rivals continue their three-game set in Milwaukee on Saturday.
Pittsburgh's team ERA swelled to 5.01 after giving up three runs in three separate innings during Friday's 10-4 loss, marking the 13th time the Pirates have surrendered at least 10 runs this season. The Brewers are responsible for three of those outings and are averaging 8.2 runs while winning four of the five meetings. Reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich led the charge in the opener by going 3-for-4 to raise his batting average for the month to .591 and for the season at home to .438. Ryan Braun delivered a three-run blast for his first home run in 19 games to reach 10 homers in a year for the 12th time in his career, breaking his tie with Hall of Famer Robin Yount for the most such seasons in club history.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jordan Lyles (5-3, 3.38 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (6-0, 2.20)
Lyles is set to make a second consecutive start against Milwaukee after permitting four runs over six innings while throwing a season-high 109 pitches in a losing cause Sunday. The former first-round pick owned a 4-1 record and 1.97 ERA after his first eight turns but has recorded three straight non-quality starts during which he is 1-2 with a 7.47 ERA. Eric Thames is 3-for-3 with a home run versus Lyles, who is 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 appearances (eight starts) against Milwaukee.
Davies outdueled Lyles to get the win Sunday in Pittsburgh, allowing two runs - on a sacrifice fly and RBI groundout - while working a career-high eight-plus innings. The 26-year-old Arizona native has logged quality starts in five of his last six turns after doing so only once over his first six and has not lost in his last 13 outings dating back to Sept. 22 at Pittsburgh. Josh Bell is 2-for-14 against Davies, who is 3-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 starts versus the Pirates.
WALK-OFFS
1. Prior to this season, the Brewers had scored 10 or more runs in a game against the Pirates twice in 95 combined meetings from 2014-18.
2. Pittsburgh rookie OF Bryan Reynolds doubled twice Friday to extend the longest active hitting streak in the majors to 15 games.
3. Milwaukee 2B Travis Shaw, who returned from a three-week stint on the injured list Tuesday, drove in his first run since April 23 with an RBI single in the seventh inning.