Pittsburgh @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 2, Milwaukee 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates were riding a hot streak and on the verge of a playoff spot when they showed up on Friday. The Milwaukee Brewers have cooled them off. The Brewers clinched a series win on Corey Hart’s walk-off homer Saturday and have won 10 of their last 12 contests, pulling to within four games of .500 (64-68). With the two losses, the Pirates have slipped 1 1/2 games out of the second National League wild card spot.

Pittsburgh squandered a pair of bases-loaded opportunities on Saturday before closer Joel Hanrahan served up Hart’s walk-off blast in the 3-2 setback. The Pirates have been trending downward for the last month, going 10-18 since Aug. 3, but a series victory over the Cardinals had improved the club’s outlook. Pittsburgh can look forward to a six-game homestand against the hapless Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros next week. Milwaukee has a much more difficult schedule and looks like a team that can throw a wrench into the playoff race. Hart has homered in both games against the Pirates while Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Braun have both been hot.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSWI (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH James McDonald (12-6, 3.57 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (14-8, 3.52)

McDonald seems to have recovered from a slump in July and August, putting up a pair of scoreless outings in his last three turns. The 27-year-old surrendered only two hits in seven scoreless innings while striking out six to beat the Cardinals on Tuesday. McDonald was knocked around for five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings at Milwaukee on July 13, walking five in a no-decision. He is 1-2 with a 5.33 career ERA in eight games - four starts - against the division rivals.

Gallardo has been one of the best pitchers in the majors over the last month, going 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA over his last six starts. He has gone at least seven innings in each of those six starts. Gallardo struck out a career-high 14 against Pittsburgh on July 15, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings to pick up the win. The 26-year-old is 8-2 with a 2.14 ERA in 13 career games - 12 starts - against the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers are waiting until Tuesday to make September call-ups, keeping their 25-man roster while playing against the now-30-man roster of Pittsburgh.

2. One of those Pirates call-ups was LHP Jeff Locke, who will move into the rotation along with Kevin Correia. Those two will take over the spots vacated by Jeff Karstens (injury) and Erik Bedard (released).

3. Hart has hit safely in seven straight games and 16 of the last 17.