Brewers at Pirates
Right-hander Gerrit Cole will attempt to keep his personal hot stretch going when the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace gets the nod Saturday in the continuation of a three-game series with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Cole stumbled out of the gate this year but has since posted five straight quality starts while recording a 2.61 ERA.
He will take aim at a Milwaukee offense that leads the National League Central in runs but was shut out for the first time this season in Friday's 4-0 defeat. Josh Bell homered and doubled for the Pirates and he is batting .333 with three home runs over his last nine games. The Brewers managed seven hits and one walk in the shutout loss as they played again without slugger Ryan Braun (arm), who traveled to Milwaukee for an MRI on Friday but is expected to be available as a pinch hitter for this one. After homering 11 times through April 25, Brewers first baseman Eric Thames has gone eight games without going deep and is 3-for-23 over a six-game stretch.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Matt Garza (1-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.50)
Garza was solid in his second start since coming off the disabled list in leading Milwaukee to a win over Atlanta on Sunday, allowing three runs and striking out seven with no walks in 6 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old, who has pitched in 134 games in both the American League and National League, was 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA in four starts against Pittsburgh last year and owns a 4.53 mark in eight career outings at PNC Park. Garza has mostly held Andrew McCutchen (6-for-23) and Josh Harrison (3-for-18) in check.
While Cole has been solid for the past month, he has allowed six home runs on the year after giving up just seven in 21 starts a year ago. The former first-round pick served up one long ball in a no-decision at Cincinnati on Monday in which he gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings. Cole has a 3.77 ERA in seven career appearances versus Milwaukee and is 30-17 in his career before the All-Star break.
WALK-OFFS
1. A rain delay of over two hours interrupted Friday's contest and more precipitation is expected Saturday night.
2. McCutchen had reached safely in 23 straight games before going 0-for-4 in the series opener.
3. Milwaukee is 0-4 in games played on Saturday.