Brewers at Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 16 when they go for a four-game sweep of the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon. The surging Pirates have won a season high-tying four in a row and 10 of 12 to draw within four games of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.
Pittsburgh catcher Francisco Cervelli had a tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth before rookie Max Moroff delivered the game-winner with a two-out single in the 10th. “This is what makes this game exciting, when you do this type of stuff," said veteran third baseman David Freese while praising the team's youngsters. "We got (Josh) Bell, (Adam) Frazier, Moroff? Awesome. Your hair stands up.” Domingo Santana went 3-for-5 with a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning in Wednesday's 3-2 loss for the Brewers, who have scored nine runs during their four-game slide - one shy of their season high. Milwaukee, which has lost seven of 10 to the Pirates this season, sends Jimmy Nelson to the mound to face Jameson Taillon in the series finale.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (8-4, 3.27 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jameson Taillon (5-3, 3.06)
Nelson did not factor in the decision last time out against Philadelphia despite allowing two runs on three hits while striking out nine over 6 2/3 innings. He won each of his previous three turns, giving up a combined five earned runs and notching 25 strikeouts over 19 innings. Starling Marte is 8-for-21 against Nelson, who pitched three hitless innings at Pittsburgh on May 5 before rain ended his outing.
Taillon took the loss in his first outing following the All-Star break, permitting four runs on eight hits against St. Louis. He won his previous two starts with 11 1/3 scoreless innings and has yielded only one homer in six appearances since returning from cancer surgery. Taillon was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts against Milwaukee last year and has been haunted by Hernan Perez (5-for-9, three homers, seven RBIs).
WALK-OFFS
1. Santana is 15-for-36 over his last nine games.
2. Cervelli has hit safely in five straight games and is 7-for-11 in the series.
3. Brewers LF Ryan Braun sat out Wednesday's game due to soreness in his calf and wrist.