Brewers at Pirates
If not for their ability to take care of business against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Milwaukee Brewers would be in a very different situation in the National League Central division. Instead, the Brewers are alone in first place entering the second game of three straight at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Milwaukee blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning Friday night before picking up a 7-6 victory in 10 innings to move a half-game ahead of the idle Chicago Cubs in the division. The Brewers are now 8-1 against the Pirates since the beginning of June while going 7-15 against all other opponents. Milwaukee will try to win its fifth straight series against Pittsburgh dating to last season when it gives the ball to Adrian Houser on Saturday. The Pirates, who fell four games out in the NL West with Friday's loss, counter with rookie Dario Agrazal.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Adrian Houser (2-2, 3.26 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Dario Agrazal (1-0, 2.70)
Houser had the longest start of his career with five innings of three-run ball at Cincinnati on Monday. The 26-year-old has held opponents to a .183 average in 14 games out of the bullpen but they're hitting .368 when he's in a starting role. He is 1-0 despite a 7.20 ERA in three previous relief appearances against the Pirates.
Agrazal will be recalled on Saturday to start in place of Trevor Williams, who will be placed on the paternity list. The 24-year-old Agrazal made two starts for the Pirates in June, including a six-inning outing against the Houston Astros in which he gave just up one run and five hits. Agrazal is 5-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 14 minor league starts across the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates 1B Josh Bell slugged his 27th home run Friday, a three-run shot during his team's five-run rally in the ninth, while upping his MLB-leading RBI total to 84.
2. Brewers CF Lorenzo Cain delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th on Friday to finish a three-hit night.
3. Pittsburgh 2B Adam Frazier is 13-for-21 with seven RBIs and seven runs scored over his last five games.