A series win is on the line Sunday when the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates meet.
The first two games have provided plenty of drama.
Pittsburgh fell into a four-run hole in the opener Friday, battled back and eventually won it 8-7 on Carlos Santana’s walk-off, two-run homer.
The Brewers retaliated Saturday when Corbin Burnes pitched five perfect innings and Christian Yelich and Raimel Tapia homered, but the Pirates clawed back from a 10-run deficit before falling 11-8 in a game twice delayed by weather — including at the start despite no rain falling.
There’s no telling what might be in store in the rubber match.
“It was strange,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said of Saturday’s game. “The fact that we waited (to start the game), and then we got heavy rain in the ninth.
“But I was proud of our group. We were down 11-2, and it’s an 11-8 game at the end of the game, so they continued to battle. I’m proud of how they continued to go regardless of the circumstances.”
Momentum doesn’t seem to mean much this series, considering what happened Friday, and then having the Brewers take a 6-0 lead through two innings Saturday and a 10-0 lead in the sixth, only to get into a save situation for Joel Payamps in the end.
“We had a tough loss (Friday) night, so to come out and get started on a good foot was nice, and then we added on throughout the game — and ended up needing it,” Yelich, who had three RBIs in the game, told Bally Sports Wisconsin.
In the series finale, Milwaukee right-hander Colin Rea (4-4, 4.57 ERA) is slated to start, as is Pittsburgh left-hander Rich Hill (7-7, 4.45).
On Monday against the New York Mets, Rea picked up a win, giving up one run and three hits in a season-high 6 1/3 innings as he and three relievers combined on a three-hitter.
“He pitched a really nice game,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Rea’s outing against New York. “He has had some good starts for us. Certainly, (that) was as good as any of them.”
Rea kept the Mets hitless into the fourth.
“I felt confident out there and (catcher William Contreras) did a good job behind the plate,” Rea said. “I felt we were executing, especially the fastball on both sides of the plate.”
Rea is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two career games (one start) against Pittsburgh. He has not faced the Pirates since 2020, when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.
Hill benefited from some run support his last time out, when he gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings on Tuesday in a 9-4 win over the San Diego Padres.
Hill is 3-4 with a 3.96 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against the Brewers. This season, he took a loss against Milwaukee on June 16 when he gave up four runs (three earned) and walked six in five innings.
–Field Level Media
