Series Preview: Pirates at Brewers

The Brewers got a big three-game sweep over the Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, pulling withing two games of Chicago for first place in the National League Central. Unfortunately for them, they could only keep pace with the Cardinals, who were busy sweeping your Pittsburgh Pirates (67-77) and also sit two back.

The Pirates have another chance to play spoiler this week, slogging through divisional play as a race unfolds around or, perhaps more appropriately, above them. Of course, that damage could again come in the form of the Pirates losing games someone else needs them to win.

Season Series: 8-5 Pirates

At Pittsburgh

May 5: Pirates 4, Brewers 0

May 6: Pirates 2, Brewers 1, 10 innings

May 7: Brewers 6, Pirates 2

At Milwaukee

June 19: Pirates 8, Brewers 1

June 20: Pirates 7, Brewers 3

June 21: Brewers 4, Pirates 3

June 22: Brewers 4, Pirates 2

At Pittsburgh

July 17: Pirates 4, Brewers 2

July 18: Pirates 4, Brewers 3

July 19: Pirates 3, Brewers 2, 10 innings

July 20: Pirates 4, Brewers 2

At Milwaukee

August 15: Brewers 3, Pirates 1

August 16: Brewers 7, Pirates 6

Schedule

Monday, 7:40 p.m. - Steven Brault (0-0, 5.79 ERA) vs. Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.52), TV: AT&T SportsNet

Tuesday, 7:40 p.m. - Gerrit Cole (11-9, 3.93) vs. Brent Suter (2-2, 3.55), TV: AT&T SportsNet

Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. - Tyler Glasnow (2-6, 7.45) vs. TBD, TV: AT&T SportsNet

Brewers

75-68 (74-69 Pythag, 4.53 RS/G, 4.36 RA/G)

Offense

The Brewers love them some strikeouts, or at least they tolerate them more than others do, with a Major League-leading 25.9 percent K rate as a team. Keon Broxton strikes out a whopping 37.2 percent of the time, with Domingo Santana, Eric Thames and Jesus Aguilar all just under 30 percent. Of course, Milwaukee is also second in the National League in home runs (202). Travis Shaw (29 HR) and Thames (28) lead the bunch, and eight players have 14 homers or more.

Pitching

The Brewers’ staff suffered a devastating blow with the loss of emerging ace Jimmy Nelson for the season with a shoulder injury. The Pirates will avoid Zach Davies and Chase Anderson, Milwaukee’s next-best starters. Brandon Woodruff (7.61 K/9, 3.42 BB/9, 1.52 ERA, 23 2/3 IP) returned to the majors as a September call-up. Brent Suter (7.25 K/9, 2.84 BB/9) lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits against the Pirates on July 17. Wei-Chung Wang, plucked from the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft before 2014, was also called up with the roster expansion.

Outlook

Meh. I guess this month is already a bit of a downer. It would be nice to at least knock somebody out of the race by beating them.