Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2010 ) Milwaukee 3, Pittsburgh 1
Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder seem to be getting their power strokes together at the same time. How much longer the two will be teammates, however, remains to be seen.
Weeks and Fielder both homered Monday for the second straight game. For Weeks, it marked his third blast in two games and extended his club record for most homers by a second baseman to 18.
Fielder clubbed his National League-leading 23rd homer, but his days with the Brewers could be numbered. Fielder’s contract expires after next season, but with Milwaukee still 9 1/2 games out in the NL Central, the Brewers could deal their star slugger now to maximize the return.
The question the Brewers must ask is whether or not they feel they can contend next season. If so, it could be difficult to move one of the best power hitters in the game and convince fans they still believe they can contend next year.
Fielder, whose contract status has been a sticky situation in Milwaukee for a few years already, has homered in three straight games. He continues to club away at the Pirates and has now hit five homers against the National League's worst team this season.
Weeks, meanwhile, has finally stayed healthy long enough for a breakout season. He has hit safely in six straight games and he has already set career highs in homers and RBIs. He is six hits shy of equaling the career mark he set two years ago.
The Brewers have won five straight against Pittsburgh, which received more bad news on Monday when Andrew McCutchen’s injured neck prevented him from playing. The Pirates are hoping their leading hitter won’t have to make a trip to the disabled list, but for now, McCutchen remains day-to-day.
Tuesday's starter Dave Bush will look for a little more run support than he’s received lately from the Brewers.
Bush has sparkled since June 15, recording a 2.39 ERA in his last six starts. But he has just one win since June 25 because of a luck of run support – Milwaukee has scored just one run in three of his last four starts.
The Pirates will counter with rookie Brad Lincoln, whose only win this season came June 30 against the Chicago Cubs. Lincoln faced the Brewers in his most recent start on July 11, when he allowed three runs in six innings.
Lincoln has surrendered two homers in his last 11 innings after allowing two in his first 31 innings this season. The Pirates have lost eight of their last 10 games.