Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2013 ) Milwaukee 1, Pittsburgh 2

The Pittsburgh Pirates are enjoying a solid season, but it will be the final 32 games that decide whether the franchise ends its 21-year playoff drought. Pittsburgh is one-half game behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central - but nine games clear in the wild-card race - as it begins a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Milwaukee is 16 games below .500 in a season that will be forever remembered for Ryan Braun’s drug suspension.

Pittsburgh is suffering through a 6-10 slump and hopes to get well as six of its next nine games are against the Brewers. A pivotal three-game home series with the Cardinals falls in between the two sets against Milwaukee and a road series against St. Louis is on the horizon after the second series with the Brewers. Milwaukee is 5-5 over its last 10 games while playing seven contests against Cincinnati and three with St. Louis.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (9-8, 3.22 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (9-4, 3.01)

Lohse has pitched superbly since the All-Star break, compiling a 4-1 mark and 2.05 ERA in seven starts. He is 9-2 with a 3.35 ERA in 19 career appearances (18 starts) against the Pirates and has two no-decisions and a 2.45 ERA in two 2013 outings. Lohse has walked 13 batters over his last five starts after issuing just 19 over his first 21 outings.

Locke has fizzled after a strong start, going winless in his last six outings and failing to pitch more than four innings in three of them. He has allowed 11 runs, 15 hits and seven walks in 6 2/3 innings over his last two starts. Locke is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against the Brewers with the victory occurring May 25 when he tossed six innings of three-hit shutout ball.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh is 9-4 against Milwaukee this season.

2. Brewers OF Khris Davis is batting .432 with five homers and 10 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.

3. Pirates OF Jose Tabata (.522 in 23 at-bats) and 2B Neil Walker (.381 in 21) have fared well against Lohse.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Pirates 4