Brewers sluggers primed for success vs. resurgent Pirates

The Milwaukee Brewers have had Pittsburgh’s number since pummeling the Pirates 13-6 in their final meeting of the 2018 season.

Milwaukee won three of four in Pittsburgh, then swept a three-game series at Miller Park over a two-week span earlier this month, improving to 7-1 against the Pirates since that Sept. 23 meeting.

They’ve out-hit the Pirates .304 to .258 over those eight games, and racked up 10-plus runs four times. Pittsburgh, however, has turned things around at the plate in a big way this month.

The Pirates are hitting a major-league-leading .295 in 23 games in June with a .845 team OPS, which ranks second.

Pittsburgh is averaging an even six runs per game in June, which trails only the Atlanta Braves (6.84) and New York Yankees (6.13), after averaging just 4.16 runs through May 31.

The Brewers could use a few home runs against the Pirates, and they’re likely to get them.

Star outfielder Christian Yelich is up to 29 homers on the season, tied for the most ever by a Brewers player before the All-Star break with Prince Fielder (2007).

Milwaukee is getting 54.6% of its runs via the long ball, which would break the 2010 Toronto Blue Jays’ MLB record (53.1%) if the season ended today.

Fortunately for the Brewers, Pirates starter Chris Archer is allowing 2.33 home runs per nine innings this season and has allowed at least one homer in each his past 10 starts. That’s tied for the longest such streak in the majors this season with the Houston Astros‘ Wade Miley.

Statistics via Sportradar