The Milwaukee Brewers are inching closer to a division title and home-field advantage throughout the postseason as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road Tuesday night in the first of a three-game series.
Milwaukee (93-57) could secure the National League Central crown as early as Tuesday with a win and a loss by the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers led the Cubs by 10 games heading into Monday’s play and had a magic number of two to clinch their fourth consecutive Central title. A Cubs loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday would reduce the magic number to one.
The Pirates (75-75) are clinging to slim playoff hopes. They entered Monday trailing the San Diego Padres by 6 1/2 games for the final NL wild-card spot, with the Arizona Diamondbacks 2 1/2 games behind the Padres.
Milwaukee will send ace and Cy Young Award frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski (14-5, 1.95 ERA) to the mound as it also tries to move closer to securing the top playoff seed in the NL. Through Sunday’s play, the Brewers had a 2 1/2-game lead on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the overall league standings.
The Pirates had not formally announced a starter as of Monday afternoon. Pittsburgh has used a bullpen game in that rotation spot led off by reliever Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.52) the last three turns through the starting order.
Misiorowski will try to get the Brewers back on course after a 4-3 loss Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds that snapped a five-game win streak.
Misiorowski last pitched Tuesday against the Cubs at home, allowing one run on four hits and two walks and striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings of a no-decision. In his previous start, he also faced the Cubs and allowed five runs over four innings. The Brewers ended up winning both games.
During that Tuesday start, Misiorowski became the first pitcher in the Statcast era to throw 1,000 pitches of at least 100 mph in a season.
“That’s how I throw. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s cool,” Misiorowski said. “It’s one of those things when I’m done with my career, then I’ll think about it. Right now, that’s what I do. I throw hard. The guys on the other side expect that.”
Misiorowski has faced the Pirates only once this season, on April 25, when he allowed three runs on six hits and one walk and struck out nine in a game Pittsburgh won 6-3 in 10 innings at Milwaukee.
The Pirates are 6-4 this season against the Brewers, but Milwaukee has won the past three meetings.
Pittsburgh recently returned Ryan O’Hearn and Konnor Griffin to its lineup, but lost rookie Esmerlyn Valdez for the season with a left hamstring strain.
The Pirates need every win they can get over their final 12 games, but they have not given up hope of sneaking into the postseason.
“There’s still a chance,” second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “Any way that you want to look at it, whether it be a long shot, whether it be anything. We’re still playing meaningful games. That’s all you can ask for right now.”
–Field Level Media
