• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brewers-Pirates Preview

Jul 22, 2009 - 3:46 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Milwaukee (47-46) at Pittsburgh (41-51), 12:35 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates ended their long losing streak against the Milwaukee Brewers this week at PNC Park, but the Brewers returned to their winning ways as the series continued.

Milwaukee can preserve a different streak in Wednesday's series finale.

The Brewers have won seven consecutive series against the Pirates, a streak they'll look to extend as they try to close their seven-game road trip with a winning record.

After having a 17-game winning streak against the Pirates snapped Monday, the Brewers bounced back Tuesday with a 2-0 victory. Prince Fielder had two RBI singles, and Braden Looper and three relievers allowed four hits as they improved to 3-3 on their road trip.

"Prince had a couple big hits," manager Ken Macha said. "That's the half-full. The half-empty is we left 10 guys on, too. We had chances to score a bunch."

A win will give Milwaukee its eighth straight series against Pittsburgh (41-52), a streak that began with a three-game sweep at Miller Park from Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2007.

The Brewers (48-46) should feel pretty confident in their chances with Jeff Suppan (5-7, 4.43 ERA) on the hill. Suppan, who spent 2003 with the Pirates, is 13-3 with a 4.22 ERA in 22 career starts against his former club.

He's gone 6-0 in eight starts - despite a 4.87 ERA - against Pittsburgh since joining Milwaukee in 2007.

Suppan, however, hasn't won in his past six starts. He was the victim of a pair of costly errors and a lack of run support Friday at Cincinnati, taking a 4-0 loss after allowing three runs - all unearned - over six innings.

"Suppan was terrific," Macha told the Brewers' official Web site. "He had good command, and all of his pitches were working. Our defense let him down."

Suppan will be facing a Pirates offense that's been shut out nine times.

Pittsburgh could use some more production from Adam LaRoche, who's hitting .109 (5 for 46) with one RBI and 16 strikeouts since July 4. The first baseman leads the Pirates with 40 RBIs, but he is hitting .171 (13 for 76) in the 24 games Pittsburgh has failed to score more than one run.

LaRoche, though, is 8 for 24 (.333) with two homers and five RBIs against Suppan.

Paul Maholm (6-4, 4.28) will get the ball for the Pirates, and the left-hander should be feeling good despite not picking up a decision in his last outing. Maholm gave up one unearned run over eight innings in a 2-1, 14-inning win over San Francisco on Friday.

The left-hander didn't allow a walk for the first time since Aug. 13, 2008.

"I felt good," Maholm told the Pirates' official Web site. "I think my breaking ball was there for strikes a lot. My changeup was a lot better than it has been."

Maholm hasn't fooled Milwaukee much in his career, though. He was 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his first three starts against the Brewers, but is 0-5 with a 5.17 ERA in nine starts since - and Pittsburgh has lost each game.

Fielder is 3 for 27 (.111) with eight strikeouts against Maholm, but his teammates have fared much better. Bill Hall is hitting .552 (16 for 29) with three homers and eight RBIs, Mike Cameron is batting .458 (11 for 24) with three homers and Corey Hart has a .344 average (11 for 32) versus Maholm.