Pirates Vs. Brewers: Bucs Try To End Pattern Of Poor Play In Milwaukee

The Pirates beat the Reds' Johnny Cueto on Wednesday after he'd tortured them in the past, and now they'll try to face down another demon as they begin a three-game series against the Brewers at Miller Park on Friday (8:10 p.m., ROOT Sports).

The Brewers took 12 of 15 games from the Pirates in 2011 and 13 of 18 in 2010, and have particularly dominated the Bucs when playing at home.

Fortunately for this year's Pirates, though, the Brewers haven't looked as tough as they have in recent years. Going into the season, they looked like an NL Central contender despite the loss of Prince Fielder, thanks to their tough starting rotation. As we enter June, though, they're just 23-28, thanks in part to weak performances from Rickie Weeks and Nyjer Morgan.

Another Brewer who hasn't played well is Friday night's starter, Randy Wolf. The veteran lefty has just 30 strikeouts in 55 innings, en route to a 5.73 ERA. The Pirates will, unfortunately, counter with their own worst starter, Kevin Correia.

For more on the Pirates-Brewers matchup, head over to Bucs Dugout, where the latest podcast features an interview with Brewers blogger Kyle Lobner.