Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 17, 2014 ) Milwaukee 2, Pittsburgh 11

The Milwaukee Brewers rode a nine-game winning streak to the top of the National League Central but are beginning to come back to the pack with losses in three of the last four games. The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the teams chasing the Brewers down and will look to take two in a row from the division rivals when they host Milwaukee on Friday. The Pirates bashed their way to an 11-2 win in the series opener and are on a home run tear of late.

Pittsburgh matched a record with three sets of back-to-back home runs on Monday in Cincinnati and traded homers with the Reds throughout that series as the bats began to come alive. Reigning MVP Andrew McCutchen was one of the few in the lineup without a blast in Cincinnati but made up for it with a two-run shot in the opener against Milwaukee - one of four home runs for the Pirates in the contest. Milwaukee's bullpen, which entered the series with a major league-best 1.33 ERA and was one of the keys to the winning streak, allowed nine runs in the seventh and eighth innings on Thursday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (2-1, 3.05 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Charlie Morton (0-1, 3.32)

Lohse came within one out of a complete game against Pittsburgh at home last week, allowing one run and four hits without walking a batter over 8 2/3 innings to pick up the win. The California native struck out nine in that outing and has 21 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings over three starts this season. Lohse is 10-2 with a 3.41 ERA in his career against the Pirates, including 5-1 in 13 games - 12 starts - at PNC Park.

Morton went up against Lohse last week and allowed four runs - two earned - on six hits and three walks in seven innings. The 30-year-old put up six scoreless innings in his first starts but had some trouble avoiding one big inning in the next two. Morton is just 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 10 career starts against Milwaukee.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates 1B Gaby Sanchez has three home runs and four RBIs in the last four games.

2. Milwaukee had won its first six road games before dropping the series opener on Thursday.

3. Pittsburgh OF Jose Tabata was available on Thursday a day after leaving a game following a rough collision with the left-field wall.

PREDICTION: Brewers 4, Pirates 3