Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2019 ) Pittsburgh 1, Milwaukee 10

A weekend series against the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates figured to give the Milwaukee Brewers a chance to create some separation in the National League wild-card race, and it hasn't taken long for things to break the way they had hoped. The Brewers seek a fifth straight victory over the visiting Pirates on Saturday, when the NL Central rivals square off in the middle contest of their three-game series.

Milwaukee took advantage of a defeat from its closest competition for the second wild card when the Chicago Cubs lost to NL Central-leading St. Louis earlier Friday, stretching its lead over the Cubs to two games with a 10-1 rout of Pittsburgh. The Brewers, who have won 13 of their last 15 contests to remain within three games of the Cardinals in the division, improved to 8-2 since losing 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich to a fractured kneecap and 13-4 this season versus the Pirates. Pittsburgh fell to 21-44 in the second half of the season with Friday's loss and has dropped seven in a row overall, scoring fewer than two runs four times during the slide. Adam Frazier belted a solo homer for the Pirates' only run while rookie Bryan Reynolds accounted for half of his team's six hits with a triple and two singles.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH James Marvel (0-2, 9.00 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (10-7, 3.70)

Marvel was unable to follow a solid effort in his major-league debut, suffering his second loss in as many outings after giving up seven runs - including two homers - over four innings in Chicago. The Duke product made his first career start six days earlier against St. Louis, permitting two runs in five frames. Marvel was brilliant in the minors prior to his promotion, going 16-5 with a 2.94 ERA in 28 combined starts with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.

Davies reached 10 wins for the third time in four seasons following Monday's victory against San Diego after yielding one run on two hits and two walks over five innings. The 26-year-old improved to 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA in three starts this month after dropping each of his previous five decisions - a stretch during which he allowed at least four runs four times. Frazier is 7-for-20 with two doubles and a triple versus Davies, who is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four outings against Pittsburgh this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Despite making only two plate appearances over the last two games, Brewers rookie OF Trent Grisham has recorded four RBIs - including a three-run triple on Friday.

2. Pittsburgh rookie SS Kevin Newman went 0-for-4 in the series opener, snapping his 13-game overall hitting streak and 20-game string on the road.

3. Milwaukee's Craig Counsell recorded his 400th managerial win on Friday.

PREDICTION: Brewers 7, Pirates 2