Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( May 1, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 6, Milwaukee 4
The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled mightily in recent years against the Milwaukee Brewers. However, the Pirates appear to be in prime position to change that trend starting Monday when they host the struggling Brewers for the first of four games. Pittsburgh has lost 29 of its past 37 games and 10 of 13 against its National League Central rival at PNC Park, but snapped out of a recent offensive funk by outscoring the Mets 23-10 to take three of four from New York over the weekend.
The Brewers have dropped four straight and nine out of 10 since defeating Pittsburgh in consecutive games to end April. Milwaukee, which is hitting .279 over the last 10 games, has combined poor starting pitching (8.12 ERA) with a lack of clutch hitting (18-for-81 with runners in scoring position) over that span. The Brewers will also need to find an answer against Andrew McCutchen, who is 20-for-46 with five homers and 13 RBIs against them since the start of last season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSWI (Milwaukee), ROOT (Pirates)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Marco Estrada (2-2, 6.05 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (3-3, 2.57)
The Brewers gave Estrada two extra days to allow for an added bullpen session between starts after he was roughed up by St. Louis on May 5. The right-hander yielded season highs in runs (eight) and walks (five) while also allowing six hits over a season-low 3 1/3 innings in a 10-1 setback. Estrada, who is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in nine appearances (six starts) against Pittsburgh, was marginally better in a win on April 30 against the Pirates, surrendering five runs and seven hits over five frames.
Burnett took the loss in Wednesday’s 2-1 setback against Seattle, giving up two hits and walking four over seven innings while striking out nine. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five turns and pitched six or more innings in all but one outing. The NL leader in strikeouts (66) has fanned at least nine batters in four starts and struck out at least six in every outing. Burnett has struggled against Milwaukee, however, going 2-4 with a 4.99 ERA in nine career starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee is 71-25 overall against Pittsburgh since 2007.
2. In the four starts the Pirates have lost with Burnett on the mound, they have scored a total of four runs.
3. The Brewers are 3-10 against the top three teams in their division (St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh).
PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Brewers 2