Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 3, Milwaukee 4

The Pittsburgh Pirates can all but wrap up a postseason berth with a successful weekend that begins with the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Pittsburgh owns a 3 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee for the second National League wild-card spot with 10 contests remaining on its schedule. The Pirates posted their 11th win in 13 games Thursday as they completed a three-game sweep of Boston with a 3-2 triumph.

Milwaukee saw its hopes for an NL Central title slip away as it lost two of three against division-leading St. Louis, including a 3-2 setback in 13 innings on Thursday. The Brewers were four outs away from claiming the rubber match and climbing within four games of the Cardinals, but Jonathan Broxton issued a bases-loaded walk to force in the tying run and Tony Cruz delivered the winning single with one out in the 13th. Milwaukee still has a fighting chance for the playoffs as it wraps up the regular season with series against Cincinnati on the road and the Chicago Cubs at home while Pittsburgh visits Atlanta and the Reds.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (8-10, 3.59 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (7-5, 3.66)

Gallardo's losing streak reached four games Saturday thanks to a lack of support as he limited Cincinnati to two runs and four hits over six innings. The 28-year-old Mexican is winless since posting back-to-back one-run efforts on the road against the Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 11 and 16, respectively. Gallardo fell to 12-5 lifetime against Pittsburgh on Aug. 22, when he yielded six runs - three earned - on eight hits and three walks in five frames.

Locke suffered his second loss in three starts on Saturday, when he allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings versus the Cubs. The 26-year-old has gone 5-2 over his last eight outings, yielding three runs or fewer six times in that span. Locke evened his career record against Milwaukee to 2-2 on Aug. 22 as he gave up only two runs over six frames despite issuing a season-high six walks.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates have had 74 of their 152 games this season decided by fewer than three runs.

2. The Brewers scored a total of five runs over 34 innings in their series against St. Louis.

3. Pittsburgh is 5-1 on its nine-game homestand, while Milwaukee is 1-2 on its nine-game road trip.

PREDICTION: Brewers 4, Pirates 2