Brewers vs. Pirates — 7/3/21

Milwaukee Brewers (50-33) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (29-52) - Saturday, July 3, 2021 @ 4:05 p.m.

Stadium: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: 93.7 The Fan

SB Nation Brewers site: Brew Crew Ball

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Starting Pitchers

Brewers: Eric Lauer - LHP - (2-3) – 4.50 ERA - 47 total Ks

Pirates: Cody Ponce - RHP - (0-1) – 7.88 ERA – 6 total Ks

Probable Starting Lineups (subject to last-minute changes)

Brewers

1. Luis Urias – 3B

2. Christian Yelich – LF

3. Willy Adames – SS

4. Omar Narvaez – C

5. Avisail Garcia – RF

6. Jace Peterson – 2B

7. Keston Hiura – 1B

8. Jackie Bradley Jr. – CF

9. Eric Lauer – P

Pirates

1. Adam Frazier – 2B

2. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B

3. Bryan Reynolds – CF

4. Jacob Stallings – C

5. Ben Gamel – LF

6. Kevin Newman – SS

7. Phillip Evans – 1B

8. Jared Oliva – RF

9. Cody Ponce – P

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The Pittsburgh Pirates’ losing streak stands at five, and the good vibes that came with last weekend’s series win over the hated St. Louis Cardinals seems like a distant memory now. But the Bucs will forge ahead and try to snap that losing skein — and break Milwaukee’s 10-game winning streak when they host the Brewers at 4:05 p.m. at PNC Park.

Right-hander Cody Ponce will start for the Pirates while Eric Lauer gets the call for the Brew Crew.

Ponce is 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA in two appearances totaling eight innings this season. It’s been more than a month since he made a start with the big league club; that came on May 25 against the Cubs.

In that game, the 27-year-old Ponce went five innings and gave up nine hits and four earned runs, walking one and striking out four. He allowed a pair of homers among his 87 pitches.

He appeared in relief Tuesday against Colorado, giving up six hits and three earned runs in a three-inning stint at Coors Field. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

In between his two appearances with the Pirates, Ponce made seven starts with Triple-A Indianapolis. Overall in eight games Ponce was 0-3 with a 5.70 ERA. In 36 1/3 innings, he gave up 39 hits, 23 earned runs, walked 11 and struck out 39 for a WHIP of 1.38.

Lauer, 26, is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 games this season with Milwaukee, seven of them starts.

He’s been effective recently; in his start Sunday against Colorado, Lauer pitched six scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out six.

In his previous start, also against the Rockies but that time in Coors Field, Lauer gave up three runs and five hits in five innings.