Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2015 ) Milwaukee 3, Pittsburgh 6

The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled mightily against National League Central rivals throughout the season, but they've recently altered their fortunes to give themselves an outside shot at the division title. Winners of five of their last eight against division foes, the Pirates look to keep surging ahead when they play the third contest of their four-game series versus the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Jung Ho Kang recorded an RBI double in Friday's 6-3 triumph to improve to 6-for-18 with two homers, six RBIs and six runs scored in his last four contests. Andrew McCutchen also has gone deep twice and has five RBIs and as many runs scored in that stretch for Pittsburgh, which improved to 26-35 against the rest of the NL Central. The Pirates reside four games behind first-place St. Louis and two in front of the Chicago Cubs for the first wild card. Milwaukee, which suffered its fourth loss in 12 contests overall and first in eight meetings with Pittsburgh, sends rookie Zach Davies to the mound against Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Zach Davies (1-0, 3.97 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (7-10, 4.56)

After struggling in his major-league debut, Davies picked up his first career victory on Monday by tossing seven solid innings in a 9-1 triumph over Miami. The 22-year-old allowed one run on four hits and did not walk a batter, as opposed to the three free passes he issued in a no-decision versus Pittsburgh on Sept. 2. Davies is making his third start of the month after going 1-2 in five outings with Triple-A Colorado Springs following the Gerardo Parra deal with Baltimore.

Locke suffered his second straight loss and fourth in five decisions on Monday after allowing three runs and four hits in five innings of a 3-1 setback to Cincinnati. Although owning just a 3-4 record, the 27-year-old has pitched considerably better at PNC Park (3.62 ERA) as opposed to on the road (5.69). Locke is 4-4 lifetime versus Milwaukee and 2-2 this season, having followed consecutive wins in April with a hard-luck loss on July 19 before getting blitzed for five runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 9-4 setback on Sept. 2.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers OF Ryan Braun, who was limited to pinch-hitting duty on Friday, is 12-for-28 (.429) during his last seven games.

2. Pittsburgh RHP Mark Melancon (45 saves) is one shy of the club record held by Mike Williams in 2002.

3. Milwaukee CF Logan Schafer is 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the series after collecting one hit in his previous 13 plate appearances.

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Brewers 2