Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 8, Milwaukee 3

Wily Peralta looks to become the major’s first 16-game winner when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday in the second contest of a three-game series. The right-handed Peralta went 11-15 last season in his first full major-league campaign but has developed into one of the best pitchers in the National League this season. Josh Harrison had a career-best five RBIs to lead Pittsburgh to a 8-3 win in the series opener.

Harrison had gone 17 games without an RBI before breaking out in a big way and keeping the Pirates 2 1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants for the National League’s second wild card. Milwaukee remained 1 1/2 games ahead of St. Louis despite losing at home to Pittsburgh for the second time in seven 2014 meetings. Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer and has gone deep just twice in August.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Edinson Volquez (10-7, 3.58 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (15-7, 3.27)

Volquez received a no-decision against Washington in his last outing when he gave up four runs (one earned) and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He won his previous two starts against Miami and Detroit, allowing two runs and six hits over 13 innings. Volquez is 6-4 with a 4.57 ERA in 15 career starts against Milwaukee, and is 1-1 with a 2.79 ERA in three 2014 starts.

Peralta tossed six innings of five-hit shutout ball to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn. He has won six of his last seven starts and given up just eight earned runs during the stretch. Peralta is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against Pittsburgh with one of the victories occurring earlier this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Friday’s victory was only Pittsburgh’s 14th in 67 contests at Miller Park dating to the beginning of the 2007 season.

2. Milwaukee CF Carlos Gomez is 7-for-24 with three homers against Volquez, while 2B Rickie Weeks is 7-for-19 with two homers.

3. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a homer on Friday and is 2-for-13 in three games since coming off the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Pirates 1