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Pirates-Brewers Preview

Jul 10, 2010 - 5:02 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Pittsburgh (30-55) at Milwaukee (37-49), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Despite a pair of rare victories at Miller Park earlier this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates' prolonged struggles on the road could again prove beneficial to the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers.

After rallying to snap a five-game losing streak in the series opener, the Brewers look to continue their home success over the Pirates on Saturday night.

Ryan Braun's two-out single in the 10th inning gave Milwaukee (38-49) a 5-4 win Friday. The Brewers rallied from a late two-run deficit to win for the fifth time in 14 games.

Milwaukee improved to 6-3 this season against the Pirates (30-56), who have lost four straight overall and 22 of 24 on the road. Pittsburgh, 11-36 away from home, has dropped 25 of 28 at Miller Park, where it ended a 22-game skid and earned consecutive victories in April.

The Pirates had a chance for a third straight win in Milwaukee on Friday, but the Brewers scored a run in the eighth and ninth to force extra innings.

Hitless in 19 at-bats before a sixth-inning single, Braun finished with two hits.

"My confidence never wavered," said Braun, a starter for Tuesday's All-Star game. "I was obviously extremely frustrated.

"It was obviously the toughest stretch I've ever gone through, individually. That, combined with the tough stretch for the team, it really wasn't fun. It's nice to have an emotional win."

Braun is 15 for 39 (.385) with 10 RBIs in nine games against the Pirates this season.

Fellow All-Star Corey Hart hit his 20th home run for the Brewers. The subject of trade rumors, Hart is batting .347 with 21 RBIs in his last 24 games.

The Brewers hope Dave Bush (3-6, 4.23 ERA) can provide another solid start Saturday after going 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA in his last four. The right-hander allowed a run in six innings but didn't factor in the decision of a 6-1 loss to San Francisco on Monday.

"That's another game Bushy pitched well enough to win," manager Ken Macha told the Brewers' official website.

Bush is 4-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 12 starts against the Pirates. He allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings of an 8-1 win at Pittsburgh on April 20.

Andrew McCutchen homered and drove in two runs Friday for the Pirates. Despite Pittsburgh's struggles in Milwaukee, McCutchen is batting .389 with four homers and 10 RBIs in seven career games at Miller Park.

Jeff Karstens (2-3, 4.71) will try to win for the first time in four starts when he takes the mound for the Pirates.

The right-hander didn't receive a decision after allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings of an 8-5 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.

Karstens is 0-1 with a 4.13 ERA in four starts against Milwaukee. He gave up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 7-3 win at Milwaukee on April 27.