Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 7

The Milwaukee Brewers hope to continue a surge toward their first playoff spot since 2011 when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night for the second of a three-game set. The Brewers have won nine of their last 11 after a 7-4 victory in the series opener Friday and trail the Chicago Cubs by 1 1/2 games in the National League Central while holding down the first wild-card spot.

Christian Yelich belted a two-run homer in the first inning Friday to extend his on-base streak to 29 games while Mike Moustakas also went deep for Milwaukee, improving to 6-for-12 with three RBIs in the last three contests. Travis Shaw, who also homered Friday, is 12-for-16 with three homers and two doubles against Pittsburgh’s scheduled starter Ivan Nova, while fellow right-hander Zach Davies gets the call for the Brewers. The Pirates lost for the third time in nine contests Friday and lead the season series 9-5 with five more games slated in the next nine days with Milwaukee. Josh Bell had a double Friday to extend his hitting streak to six games, during which he is 9-for-21 with a pair of homers, and rookie Pablo Reyes launched his first career homer while improving to 6-for-16 in his first seven major-league outings.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet - Pittsburgh, FS Wisconsin, Dish455 (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (8-9, 4.17 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (2-5, 4.75)

Nova comes in off his third scoreless outing of the season when he held Miami to three hits and one walk over six innings last Saturday. The 31-year-old Dominican owns four quality starts in his last five trips to the mound but is just 2-3 in that stretch despite a 2.86 ERA. Jonathan Schoop is 5-for-13 with a pair of homers versus Nova, who is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers.

Davies has pitched well in his first two starts since a three-month stint on the disabled list, permitting three runs and 10 hits across 10 innings combined with two no-decisions. The 25-year-old Arizona native struck out nine and walked two in the last two outings but has not won in his last five starts. Starling Marte is 5-for-10 with a double against Davies, who is 2-3 with a 6.49 ERA in seven career games versus Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marte needs one homer to become the third Pirate with 20 home runs and 30 steals in a season, joining Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke.

2. Milwaukee OF Lorenzo Cain is 10-for-21 with an RBI during a five-game hitting streak that has lifted his average from .306 to .313.

3. Pittsburgh 2B/OF Adam Frazier is 21-for-54 with 14 RBIs in his last 15 contests against the Brewers.

PREDICTION: Brewers 5, Pirates 2