Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 20, 2016 ) Milwaukee 9, Pittsburgh 5

The Pittsburgh Pirates won’t get very far in the race for a playoff spot in the National League if they lose home series against sub-.500 teams. The Pirates will try to avoid such a fate when they host the Milwaukee Brewers in the rubber match of their three-game set on Thursday.

The Pirates dropped two of three at Washington coming out of the All-Star break and overcame a second straight blown save by Mark Melancon to take the series opener from the Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday. Pittsburgh did better with the bats on Wednesday but could not get much out of starter Jeff Locke in the 9-5 setback, leaving the team 1-1 to begin a stretch of 18 of 20 against sub-.500 opponents. The Brewers are seeing any win as a bonus as they prepare for a trade deadline they hope will remake their farm system and jump-start the rebuilding process. All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s name is the one that pops up the most, and he drove in three runs in Wednesday’s win to push his value even higher.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Matt Garza (1-3, 5.74 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (5-9, 5.11)

Garza absorbed the loss in each of his last three starts and was roughed up for four runs on six hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings at Cincinnati on Friday. The California native has been lit up for 18 runs – 15 earned – in 15 1/3 frames over the last three turns as his own trade value plummets. Garza is 2-3 with a 4.38 ERA in nine career starts against Pittsburgh.

Liriano continues to struggle with his control as he issued four walks in six innings at Washington on Friday. The Dominican leads the majors with 62 walks and has not gone more than six frames since a loss to Atlanta on May 18. Liriano, who is seeing the Brewers for the first time this season, went 0-2 with a 6.46 ERA and eight walks over 15 1/3 innings in three starts against the division rivals in 2015.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers LF Ryan Braun has recorded six hits and scored six runs in his last four games.

2. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen is 1-for-16 with six strikeouts in his last three contests.

3. Milwaukee totaled 18 runs in its two wins since the break and six in the three losses.

PREDICTION: Pirates 7, Brewers 5