Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 26, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 7

The Milwaukee Brewers continue to close in on the franchise's first postseason berth since 2011 but are looking at bigger things. The Brewers will try to stay with the Chicago Cubs in the battle for first place in the National League Central when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Milwaukee, which has one series left against a team with a winning record -- at St. Louis from Sept. 24-26 -- and plays nine of its final 15 games at home, owns the top wild card spot in the NL and is lurking 1 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the Central after taking two of three at Chicago earlier this week. "We won two out of three and put ourselves in a spot where the division is within reach," Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters. "You feel like now, really, you take care of your own stuff. You play well, and you feel like you've got a chance to be there." The Pirates are resigned to the spoiler role the rest of the way and will have a say in how the NL Central shakes out with six more against Milwaukee and a four-game set at Chicago down the stretch. Pittsburgh will try to cool the Brewers with right-hander Chris Archer on Friday while going up against Milwaukee lefty Gio Gonzalez.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Chris Archer (4-7, 4.56 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Gio Gonzalez (8-11, 4.40)

Archer turned in quality starts in each of his last two outings but could not get enough run support to find the win column, picking up a pair of no-decisions. The North Carolina native allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in six innings against Miami last Friday while striking out six. Archer endured his worst start since joining Pittsburgh at Milwaukee on Aug. 26, when he was lit up for six runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in four innings.

Gonzalez won his Brewers debut Saturday, striking out seven while scattering three hits and an unearned run across 5 2/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants. The Florida native went winless in his last four starts (0-3) with the Washington Nationals before being traded and struggled all season to find consistency. Gonzalez pitched well at Pittsburgh with the Nationals on July 11, surrendering two runs and six hits in six innings, but suffered a loss while coming out on the wrong end of a 2-0 final.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates OF Gregory Polanco underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a dislocated left shoulder.

2. Milwaukee CF Lorenzo Cain is 9-for-17 with four runs scored in the last four games.

3. Pittsburgh rookie INF Kevin Kramer is 1-for-8 with six strikeouts in his last two games.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Brewers 4