Final
Pirates-Brewers Preview
Apr 27, 2009 - 7:16 PM By DAN PIERINGER STATS WriterPittsburgh (11-7) at Milwaukee (8-10), 8:05 p.m. EDT
The Pittsburgh Pirates are off to their best start in seven years and remain optimistic they'll be able to maintain their current pace. To keep it up, however, they'll likely need to improve their play in Milwaukee.
The Pirates look to avoid their 16th straight loss at Miller Park on Monday night when they open a three-game series against the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers.
Pittsburgh (11-7) has opened 2009 with its best 18-game start since 2002, when it was 12-6 at this point. While the Pirates feel they're capable of snapping their run of 16 straight losing seasons, continued struggles in Milwaukee won't help their cause.
The Pirates have lost 15 in a row at Miller Park since a 4-2 victory on May 3, 2007. Since the start of 2007, they're 1-17 in Milwaukee.
Pittsburgh didn't fare much better against Milwaukee at home last season, losing five of six meetings en route to a 1-14 overall record versus the Brewers in 2008.
Adam LaRoche could be a key factor to Pittsburgh changing its fortunes against Milwaukee. The first baseman is batting .333 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 11 wins, compared to .190 with one homer and two RBIs in six losses.
LaRoche had two homers, four RBIs and three runs scored in an 8-3 victory at San Diego on Sunday. Robinzon Diaz and Brian Bixler, replacements for injured starters Ryan Doumit and Jack Wilson, each added two RBIs.
"Guys realize where we are at losing (players)," manager John Russell said. "We had some guys step up. The bench has done a great job and guys are picking each other up."
The Brewers (8-10) hadn't won consecutive games until a four-game winning streak this week, but that run was snapped with a 3-2 loss at Houston on Sunday. Ryan Braun, who was 13-for-19 (.684) with three homers and eight RBIs over his previous five games, was 0-for-4.
Manager Ken Macha is anxious to return to Miller Park, where his club dropped four of six to start the season after going 49-32 there last year.
"The team played really well at home last year, but we had a tough (homestand) to start the season this year," Macha said. "It will be nice to go home."
Macha has to feel especially confident with Braden Looper (2-0, 2.12 ERA) taking the mound. Looper has been Milwaukee's most consistent starter, having allowed only four runs in 17 innings over his first three starts, all Brewers victories.
The right-hander held Philadelphia to five hits in six scoreless innings of a 3-1 victory Wednesday.
"He's very intense about his preparation and he's focused on what he has to do," Macha said. "Looper should be a nice model for everybody to follow."
Looper is 3-3 with a 3.02 ERA lifetime against the Pirates, including 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA in five starts.
He'll match up against Pittsburgh right-hander Jeff Karstens (1-0, 3.60), who held Florida to one run and three hits in six innings of a 3-2 victory Tuesday. Karstens was 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against the Brewers last season.
Milwaukee closer Trevor Hoffman didn't get a chance to pitch in Sunday's loss but could make his debut with the club Monday.
Hoffman, who signed with Milwaukee over the winter after 15-plus seasons with San Diego during which he became the all-time leader in saves with 554, was activated from the disabled list Sunday after missing the start of the season because of a strained right oblique.
- NL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 5 11 0
MILWAUKEE 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 5 x 10 8 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: PIT - JEFF KARSTENS, JESSE CHAVEZ (6TH), EVAN MEEK (7TH), TYLER
YATES (8TH), JOHN GRABOW (8TH), SEAN BURNETT (8TH) AND JASON
JARAMILLO
MIL - BRADEN LOOPER, MARK DI
Apr 27 11:35 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY MIKE CAMERON SCORED RYAN BRAUN.
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, P FIELDER ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5
MILWAUKEE 10 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J HARDY (.179, 1-FOR-4)
Pirates 5, Brewers 10 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 27 11:19 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY PRINCE FIELDER SCORED RICKIE WEEKS AND COREY
HART.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, P FIELDER ON FIRST, R BRAUN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5
MILWAUKEE 9 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: M CAMERON (.328, 1-FOR-3, BB, HR, RBI)
Pirates 5, Brewers 9 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 27 11:18 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY COREY HART SCORED JASON KENDALL.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C HART ON SECOND, R WEEKS ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5
MILWAUKEE 7 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R BRAUN (.343, 1-FOR-2, BB, HBP, HR, RBI)
Pirates 5, Brewers 7 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 27 11:16 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
FIELDER'S CHOICE BY RICKIE WEEKS SCORED BILL HALL.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R WEEKS ON FIRST, J KENDALL ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5
MILWAUKEE 6 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C HART (.268, 0-FOR-4)
Pirates 5, Brewers 6 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 27 11:16 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY FREDDY SANCHEZ SCORED JASON JARAMILLO AND NYJER
MORGAN.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, F SANCHEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5
MILWAUKEE 5 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: C MONROE (.296, 1-FOR-4, RBI)
Pirates 5, Brewers 5 Top 8, 0 OutsApr 27 10:50 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ERIC HINSKE SCORED NYJER MORGAN.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, E HINSKE ON FIRST, F SANCHEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3
MILWAUKEE 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: AN LAROCHE (.273, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
Pirates 3, Brewers 5 Top 5, 0 OutsApr 27 9:28 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY MIKE CAMERON (5) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN THE
3RD OFF JEFF KARSTENS.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 2, MILWAUKEE 5
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J HARDY (.172, 0-FOR-1)
Pirates 2, Brewers 5 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 27 8:59 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY RICKIE WEEKS (4) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 2ND OFF JEFF KARSTENS SCORED BILL HALL AND JASON KENDALL.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 2, MILWAUKEE 4
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C HART (.279, 0-FOR-1)
Pirates 2, Brewers 4 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 27 8:43 PM - NL
AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN BRAUN (5) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN THE
1ST OFF JEFF KARSTENS.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 2, MILWAUKEE 1
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: P FIELDER (.222, 3 HR, 14 RBI)
Pirates 2, Brewers 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 27 8:25 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 2 2 3 0
MILWAUKEE 0 0 1 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: PIT - JEFF KARSTENS
MIL - BRADEN LOOPER
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R WEEKS (.264, 3 HR, 8 RBI)
C HART (.284, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
R BRAUN (.338, 4 HR, 13 RBI)
Pirates 2, Brewers 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 27 8:24 PM
Related News
- Pirates Top Games of 2023: No. 6 - Drew Maggi gets his moment Dec 23
- The Pirates got it right with Andrew McCutchen Dec 22
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen makes comments after signing Dec 22
- Pirates targeting first baseman in upcoming MLB Draft Dec 22
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates sign Ryan Mattson Dec 21
- Brewers trade Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor to Mets Dec 20
- Brewers sign catcher Eric Haase Dec 20
- Pirates Top Games of 2023: No. 7 - Johan Oviedo shuts out the Royals Dec 20
- Andrew McCutchen re-signs with Pirates for 2024 season Dec 19
- Talk the Plank Podcast: The Pirates are a bit ‘Rowdy’ Dec 19
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates sign Martín Pérez to deal Dec 19
- Pirates sign Martin Perez to one-year deal Dec 18