Pirates Look to Put a Cork in Brewers' Win Streak

The Pittsburgh Pirates (51-68) head to American Family Field for a three-game series against the surging Milwaukee Brewers (73-44), who have won nine consecutive games and solidified their grip on the NL Central lead. The Brewers have also won 12 of their last 13 games, and lead the division by six games over the Cubs.

Milwaukee’s offense ranks among MLB’s elite, sitting 3rd in batting average (.257), 5th in runs scored (587), and 2nd in stolen bases (129), anchored by Christian Yelich (.257 AVG, 21 HR, 74 RBI) and the injured Jackson Chourio (123 hits, 17 HR).

Their pitching staff has been equally dominant, ranking 4th in ERA (3.63) and 8th in strikeouts (1,016), with Freddy Peralta (13-5, 3.03 ERA) leading the rotation.

The spotlight of the series will shine on Tuesday’s marquee pitching duel, as Pirates ace Paul Skenes (7-8, 1.94 ERA, 162 K) faces the Brewers for the third time this season. Skenes’ last outing in Milwaukee on June 25 was a rare stumble — he allowed 4 earned runs in 4 innings, inflating his career ERA against the Brewers to 2.65 over three starts.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes — Aug 9, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) looks on from the dugout against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

However, his previous dominance against Milwaukee (including a 7-inning, 11-strikeout no-hit performance in 2024) and his overall stellar 2025 campaign (1.94 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) make this a must-watch redemption opportunity for the Pirates' ace.

Notably, Brewers hitters have struggled mightily against Skenes in his short career thus far, batting just .109 with 18 strikeouts in 46 at-bats, though Christian Yelich (.375 AVG) has been an exception.

The Pirates, while better at the plate recently, still rank 30th in runs (426) and slugging (.347). They also rank last in MLB in home runs, with 16 fewer (83 total) than the 29th ranked team.

The Buccos will need to overcome a Brewers team that thrives at night (41-24 record). With Milwaukee’s momentum and Pittsburgh’s struggles in the batter's box, the Brewers enter as heavy favorites. Yet, Skenes’ potential to dominate and Pittsburgh’s recent underdog resilience (4 wins in last 6 as road underdogs) could make this series more competitive than Las Vegas thinks.

Key Stats

Pirates Privy to Home Plate: 68 runs is 5th in MLB over last 15 days
Boppin' Brew Crew: .309 AVG is 2nd in MLB over last 15 days
The Pirates and Brewers have met a total of 448 times. The Brewers lead the series 252-196.

Probable Pitchers & Matchups

Game 1: Monday, 7:40 PM EDT at American Family Field

PIT: LHP Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.77 ERA, 80 K)
MIL: LHP Carlos Quintana (9-4, 3.57 ERA, 66 K)
Key Battle: Heaney vs Brewers SS Joey Ortiz (3-for-5, 3 HR, 4 RBI in 5 career AB against Heaney)

Game 2: Tuesday, 7:40 PM EDT at American Family Field

PIT: RHP Paul Skenes (7-8, 1.94 ERA, 162 K)
MIL: RHP Freddy Peralta (13-5, 3.03 ERA, 141 K)
Key Battle: Peralta vs Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds (.389 AVG, 1.059 OPS, 1 HR, 4 RBI in 36 career AB against Peralta)

Game 3: Wednesday, 2:10 PM EDT at American Family Field

PIT: RHP Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.86 ERA, 107 K)
MIL: RHP Brandon Woodruff (4-0, 2.29 ERA, 45 K)
Key Battle: Keller vs Brewers C William Contreras (.263 AVG, 2 HR, 3 RBI in 19 career AB against Keller)

Players to Watch

SP Paul Skenes (PIT): Last start was his 10th this season without allowing any earned runs
OF Bryan Reynolds (PIT): .333 AVG, 1 HR, 4 RBI over last seven days
SP Brandon Woodruff (MIL): 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 8 K in last start
C William Contreras (MIL): 3 HR, 5 RBI over last five games

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates