The Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday afternoon at American Family Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 PM ET. This game will settle the series after the teams split the first two games, with Pittsburgh taking the opener 5-4 and Milwaukee winning 9-3 in Game 2.
Wednesday’s matchup features a top-tier pitching duel between Paul Skenes of the Pirates and Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers. Both are young right-handers with high-velocity fastballs and low ERAs. It’s expected to be one of the most-watched games of the year due to the matchup on the mound alone.
Skenes leads all MLB qualified starters with a 1.85 ERA and has been nearly untouchable over his last five starts. Misiorowski has only made two MLB starts but has given up just one run over 11.2 innings. Both pitchers throw over 98 mph and have combined for 100+ strikeouts in limited innings.
This is the third meeting between these two starters. Skenes beat the Brewers back in May and also threw seven no-hit innings in Milwaukee last July. Misiorowski has already made headlines with an 11-inning hitless streak to begin his big-league career. This will be his biggest test yet.
Pirates Preview – Riding the Arm of Their Ace
Paul Skenes has been the most consistent piece of the Pirates’ rotation this year. In his last five starts, he is 4-1 with a 0.81 ERA and 36 strikeouts. He has also allowed just four runs in his last 33 innings pitched.
The Pirates as a team have struggled at the plate, averaging just 3.27 runs per game. That ranks among the lowest in the league. They’ve relied heavily on pitching to stay competitive, especially with the bullpen performing better in recent weeks despite several key injuries.
Pittsburgh’s bullpen has a 3.81 ERA with solid recent showings from Dennis Santana and David Bednar. However, the team is just 12-28 on the road and ranks last in the division. If they’re going to win this series, it will have to be behind another strong outing from Skenes.
Brewers Preview – Young Arm, Hot Bats
Jacob Misiorowski has been lights out since being called up. He threw five no-hit innings in his debut and followed with six perfect innings before giving up a walk and a home run. His fastball has hit 100 mph nearly 30 times in a game, making him one of the most electric pitchers in baseball.
Milwaukee has won five of its last six and scored 14 runs combined over the last two games. Joey Ortiz hit two home runs Tuesday night and is now riding an eight-game hitting streak. The Brewers are averaging 4.69 runs per game, and their bullpen ERA ranks top five in the league.
The Brewers are 24-16 at home this season and 18-8 in their last 26 games overall. They have a deep lineup and are getting healthy production from players like William Contreras and Sal Frelick. The key will be whether Misiorowski can match Skenes pitch for pitch in this showdown.
Betting Prediction
Oddsmakers opened this game close to a pick ‘em with a total of just 6.5. That reflects the expected pitching dominance from both starters. The under has hit in six of the last ten meetings between these teams. Pittsburgh has also gone under in 40 of their last 69 games overall.
Skenes has handled the Brewers before and has better control and command. Misiorowski has impressed, but this is his toughest test yet. Expect a low-scoring game with the Pirates doing just enough behind Skenes to pull out a 3-2 win. The under and Pirates moneyline are both in play.
Pick: Pirates -115 and Under 6.5
