Game Thread: Nova vs. Chacin

The Pirates will open their final full home series of the year Friday, welcoming the Milwaukee Brewers to PNC Park. Ivan Nova (9-9, 4.07) will face Jhoulys Chacin (14-8, 3.54) at 7:05 p.m..

Nova and the Pirates beat Chacin on Sep. 15 despite the Brewers’ righty only allowing two runs. That has been a common theme for him this season. While he has a 2.51 ERA in his five starts against the Pirates this season, the Brewers are just 1-4 in his starts against the Bucs. He hasn’t pitched terribly in September, but he has not gone more than five innings in a start this month and has taken the loss in all three of his appearances.

Nova is nearing the season’s finish line on a hot streak, going at least six innings and allowing two or fewer runs in five of his last six outings (2.62 ERA in 34.1 IP overall). That includes a six inning win he had against Chacin and the Brewers on Sep. 15. He’s held batters to a .586 OPS in that stretch.

The matchup to watch will be Brewers’ second baseman Travis Shaw vs. Nova. While Nova made him go 0-3 in their last meeting on the 15th, Shaw is 8-13 with two home runs and two doubles against Nova the last two seasons.

Lineups

Brewers

RF Curtis Granderson

CF Christian Yelich

1B Jesus Aguilar

2B Travis Shaw

LF Ryan Braun

3B Mike Moustakas

C Erik Kratz

SS Orlando Arcia

P Jhoulys Chacin

Pirates

2B Adam Frazier

CF Starling Marte

1B Josh Bell

C Francisco Cervelli

LF Corey Dickerson

RF Pablo Reyes

3B Colin Moran

SS Kevin Newman

P Ivan Nova