PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:..have lost three straight and four of their last five games…Were swept for the third time this season in their previous series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field…Have had four separate winning streaks of at least four games this season, including a season-high seven-game winning streak from 4/17-23…Have a 0.5 game lead in the National League Central over the second-place Brewers coming into today…Are in first place for the first time after 67 games since the 1997 team had a 33-34 record and 1.0 game lead in the division.
RICH ON THE HILL: Rich Hill gets the start tonight in the opener of this series against the Brewers…Hill allowed two runs a season-high 7.0 innings while winning a 14-7 decision in his last start one week ago tonight against the Mets at PNC Park…Hill threw 119 pitches in the game, becoming the first Pirate to throw 119-plus pitches in a games since James McDonald on June 21, 2012 vs. Minnesota (120).
WINNING STARTS HERE: Pittsburgh’s starting rotation has recorded 25 wins this season…That’s tied for the most among all National League teams along with the Dodgers and Cubs.
WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S: Tonight the Pirates begin a three-game series against the Brewers in a nationally broadcast game on Apple TV…It’s the latest the Pirates have played the Brewers for the first time in a season (not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign) since August 29, 1997.
THE GOLD STANDARD: Ke’Bryan Hayes comes into today ranked first among all third basemen in MLB with seven runs prevented according to Baseball Savant…The 26-yearold Hayes, who is also one of just two players in MLB with 10 Outs Above Average regardless of position according to Baseball Savant, ranks first among all third basemen in MLB with a .989 fielding percentage.
YOUNG HAYES: Ke’Bryan Hayes has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, going 22-for-54 (.407) with three doubles, two triples, two homers, 11 RBI and 1.056 OPS…Since May 31, Hayes’ .407 average ranks third in MLB behind Cleveland’s Josh Naylor (.453) and Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani (.439).
CENTRAL PARKED: This is the second of three straight series against teams from the National League Central for the Pirates…Pittsburgh has gone 10-7 within its own division, going 7-0 at PNC Park and 3-7 on the road.
WHAT’S BREWING: Andrew McCutchen has 36 career home runs against the Brewers…That’s the second-most among all active players (Joey Votto leads the way among active players with forty one)…Bryan Reynolds is a .324 career hitter (72-for-222) against the Brew Crew… Pittsburgh went 8-11 against Milwaukee last year, including wins in six of the last eight games.
GETTING ON: Andrew McCutchen has produced a .409 on-base percentage since May 14 when he batted leadoff for the first time this season (he has led off in 18 of those 25 games since)…Since May 14, McCutchen’s .406 OBP ranks ninth in all of MLB… McCutchen is also tied for the seventh-most walks (19) in MLB in that time.
BAE, BAE, BAE: Ji Hwan Bae comes into today ranked fifth among all National League rookies in batting (.272) and on-base percentage (.327)…Since May 19, he is also hitting at a .338 clip (22-for-65) with six doubles, seven RBI and .820 OPS in 19 starts.
STARTING PITCHER – 44 – LHP RICH HILL
RICH HILL: The 43-year-old lefthander is making his 14th start of the season tonight…Allowed two runs in a season-high 7.0 innings while winning a 14-7 decision in his last start last Friday against the Mets at PNC Park.
vs. MILWAUKEE: 3-3 with a 3.84 ERA (58.2ip/25er) in 11 career appearances (10 starts)…Hasn’t faced the Brewers since losing a 2-1 decision (5.0ip/2r) at Milwaukee on 9/25/21 while pitching for the Mets…He also has a 2.05 ERA (26.1ip/6er) in five career appearances (four starts) at American Family Field.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
An Apple A Day
Tonight’s game vs. Pittsburgh will be televised exclusively on Apple TV+, marking the Brewers’ third of four scheduled games on the streaming
service this season…..Milwaukee will also appear on Apple TV+ on 6/30 at Pittsburgh……the Brewers are 2-0 this season in games aired on Apple TV+.
In Need of a Win
The Brewers are on a 6-game losing streak, matching their season-long skid (also, 4/30-5/6)…..it is Milwaukee’s longest losing streak
since dropping 8 straight games from 6/3-6/11 last season…..the Brewers are also on a season-long 4-game home losing streak.
It’s About Time
The Brewers and Pirates meet tonight for the first time this season….. it marks the longest into a season (69th game) the Brewers have faced
a division opponent for the first time since 2004 when they first played the Cubs in their 80th game on 7/5/04.
But I Don’t Wanna Be a Pirate!
Milwaukee is 122-63 all-time against Pittsburgh at American Family Field, its best winning percentage (.659) at home against any National League opponent…..the Brewers have won 23 of their last 31 home games over the Pirates dating back to 2019.
Me and Julio
Julio Teheran has posted a 1.48 ERA through 4 starts (24.1ip, 4er), which marks the fifth-lowest ERA by anyone in their first 4 starts as a Brewer.
Pitcher ERA
Tom Candiotti (1983) ……………………0.81
Doug Davis (2003)……………………….0.93
Jim Lonborg (1972) ………………………1.26
CC Sabathia (2008)………………………1.36
Julio Teheran (2023)…………………1.48
Rebel Yeli
Christian Yelich is batting .394 (13- for-33) with 5 doubles, 2 HR, 5 RBI and 6 runs over his last 8 games.
Elvis Has Entered The Building
Elvis Peguero is unscored upon in 18 of his 20 appearances this season, including 10 consecutive scoreless outings (11ip) in which he has held
opponents to a .135 batting average (5-for-37) with no extra-base hits.
What’s Our Vector, Victor?
Victor Caratini is 8-for-14 (.571) with 1 HR and 3 RBI over his last 5 games…..he has recorded multiple hits in 3 of his last 4 starts.
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 1 of a 6-game homestand against Pittsburgh (3g) and Arizona (3g)…..following this homestand and an off day next Thursday, the team embarks on a 10-game road trip to Cleveland (3g), New York-NL (4g) and Pittsburgh (3g)…..it is the second and final 10-game trip of the season for the Brewers (April 10-19).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), RHP Jake Cousins (right shoulder), LHP Wade Miley (left lat), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), 1B Darin Ruf (right knee), LHP Bennett Sousa (left shoulder), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow), OF Jesse Winker (neck) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list…..Alexander, Ashby, Mitchell, Ruf, Wilson and Woodruff are on the 60-day injured list.
IN THE STANDINGS (78 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 49, SECOND: 27, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in second place, trailing the first-place Pirates by half a game.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 10-12-0 in series play
Game 1: 9-13, Game 2: 13-9, Game 3: 10-11, Game 4: 2-1
Sweep Wins (3): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14)
Sweep Losses (3): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4), vs. OAK (3g, 6/9-6/11), at MIN (2g, 6/13-6/14)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 18-16 at home, going 6-5-0 in series play…..the team is on a current season-high 4-game home losing streak…..the Brewers went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 16-18 on the road, going 4-7-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 15 replay challenges this season, going 7-8…..their last challenge (won) came on 6/14 at Minnesota as a safe call at second base involving Joey Gallo in the third inning was overturned.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #49 – RHP JULIO TEHERAN (4gs, 1-2, 1.48)
TEHERAN AT A GLANCE: Julio Teheran, 32, will be making his fifth start…..he last started last Saturday vs. Oakland and received no decision in the Brewers’ 2-1, 10-inning loss (7ip, 6h, 1r, 1er, 1bb, 6k, 1hbp, 98 pitches)…..the team is 1-3 in his starts…..he has 3 quality starts…..opponents are batting .233 (20-for-86, 2hr)…..he signed with Milwaukee as a free agent on May 25 after opting out of his contract with San Diego on May 22…..after pitching in the Atlantic League and Mexican League last season, Teheran signed with San Diego in December as a non-roster invitee…..he went 4-2 with a 5.63 ERA in 8 starts at Triple-A El Paso this season (40ip, 51h, 26r, 25er, 16bb, 45k, 7hr)…..he was born and resides in Cartagena, Colombia…..name is pronounced “teh-RON.”
WELCOME BACK: Prior to his Brewers debut on 5/25 vs. San Francisco, Teheran had not pitched in the majors since a start and win with Detroit on 4/3/21 vs. Cleveland.
LAST SEASON: Teheran began his 2022 season with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the independent Atlantic League and went 1-1 with a 1.60 ERA in 6 starts…..he held opponents to a .198 batting average with 35 strikeouts in 33.2 innings…..he then pitched in the Mexican League for Toros de Tijuana (6gs) and Sultanes de Monterrey (1gs), going a combined 4-2 with a 4.41 ERA in 7 starts…..he had 35 strikeouts in 32.2 innings in the Mexican League.
CAREER: Is 79-79 with a 3.76 ERA in 244 games/240 starts (1420.2ip, 594er)…..is in his 12th Major League season with Atlanta (2011-19), Los Angeles-AL (2020), Detroit (2021) and Milwaukee (2023)…..the two-time All-Star (2014 and 2016) made 30+ starts in seven consecutive seasons from 2013-19…..he was the Braves’ Opening Day starter in six straight seasons from 2014-19.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 0-3 with a 2.59 ERA in 5 starts (31.1ip, 9er)…..is 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 2 starts this season (12ip, 2er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 41-42 with a 3.90 ERA in 116 games/114 starts (677.2ip, 294er)…..is 1-1 with a 1.46 ERA in 2 starts this season (12.1ip, 2er).
CAREER vs. PIRATES: Is 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA in 12 games/11 starts (74ip, 19er)…..has not faced the Pirates since 6/13/19 at Truist Park as a member of the Braves
