Could Another Sweep Be Brewing in Milwaukee: What to Expect
On August 20th, things weren't looking good for the Pirates, as they had lost seven of their last eight games, and were heading into a series with the Milwaukee Brewers, a team that has owned them. However, the Pirates offense would erupt for 24 runs in the three-game series and ended up sweeping the Brewers to move to 7-17. One week later, the Pirates are riding high having won five of their last games, including a sweep of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. They are looking to conjure up some more of that magic when they make their first trip to Miller Park this season for a three-game weekend series with the Brew Crew.
However, this time it won't be as easy because Miller Park has been a house of woes for the Pirates. They did not pick up a single win there in 2019 and haven't beaten the Brewers on the road since September 16th, 2018. To reverse this curse, the offense is going to have to be just as good, if not better than they were in the series at PNC Park. The Pirates pitching has been dominant in their five wins and that will once again have to be the case this weekend. Will the Pirates be able to continue their hot streak into the end of August? We take a look at what to expect during the three-game series at Miller Park.
Craig/Polanco Power Bucs
With any trip to Miller Park, the key is how your offense performs. It is a historically hitters friendly ball park where no lead us really safe at any point in the game. One swing can change the course of the game. That is where Pittsburgh's power hitters can make a difference and end up ultimately determining who wins the game. It was Gregory Polanco last time out who led his team to success, and he very well could do it again. But, the Pirates also have a new secret weapon up from their satellite campus that has no experience against the Brewers and could shake up the series.
Gregory Polanco had a strong series against the Brewers last weekend and is looking for a repeat performance this weekend. In the sweep over the Brewers, Polanco ended up going 5-10 with two home runs, including the game winner in the finale on Sunday, giving the Pirates a 5-4 win. Polanco drove in five of his team's 24 runs in the series and showed his first flashes of success since having shoulder surgery in 2018. Polanco has yet to live up to his top prospect status and, with all the injuries this season, the Pirates are counting on the young outfielder to get things going. A trip to hitter friendly Miller Park might be just what the doctor ordered.
The other guy I am watching for in this series is first baseman Will Craig. Craig made his Major League debut in game one of yesterday's Double Header and went 0-3, but made contact all three times. This is a guy who has shown glimpses of power in the Minor Leagues, hitting a career-high 23 home runs last season in Triple-A Indianapolis. There is no question about his defense, as he won a gold glove at the position last year, but Miller Park might be a place where he can see his first offensive success. He has never faces the Brewers and, since he is a newer guy, might get some pitches to hit. If he can take advantage, he will play a big role in this series for Pittsburgh.
Knock the Brewers Down Early
After being swept by the Pirates last weekend, the Brewers seem to be back on the rise, having swept the Cincinnati Reds in a short two-game series. The reason they were so successful, was that they scored first in both games and took the lead from there. However, a look at the series in Pittsburgh shows that when the team is down, they sometimes struggle to get back into games. This is where the Pirates can hurt the Brewers by getting on the board early and often. The new look top of the batting order has seemed to be working well for the Pirates with Erik Gonzalez, Cole Tucker, and Kevin Newman finding their way on base on a consistent basis.
This is going to be more important than ever at Miller Park, so that they can give the middle of the order a chance to put up a crooked number. Josh Bell, who has been struggling all season, seemed to get his timing down yesterday, smoking almost every ball he made contact with, even if it didn't fall in for a hit. If he can keep that timing, and the top of the order can set up for him, it could be a dangerous combination. Bell has struggled against the Brewers hitting just .140 this season, but could find some success at Miller Park. With Bell, Polanco, and possibly Craig in the middle of the Pirates order, there is a lot of power their to drive in runs.
The other key to this working is for the starting pitching to keep Milwaukee off the board. Pirates starters have done a good job of that as of late, turning in quality starts in five of the last seven games. Derek Holland will be the one tasked with getting things started off strong for the Pirates, and he has been great in his last two outings. Since giving up nine runs to the Detroit Tigers on August 8th, he has only given up one earned run over his last seven innings of work while walking three and striking out seven. Holland is also one of the chips that the Pirates are looking to move before the deadline, so a solid start would up his value.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (9-19) kick off their three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers (13-17) tonight at 8:10 pm. Derek Holland (1-1, 6.17) gets the start for Pittsburgh going against Corbin Burnes (0-0, 3.42) for the Brewers. You can watch the action live on AT&T Sportsnet or listen on 93.7 The Fan as the Pirates look to start their second win streak of the season.
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