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Milwaukee Brewers will try to sweep their fourth consecutive series against the
Pittsburgh Pirates and take total control of the National League Wild Card race in tonight's finale of a three-game set between the two clubs at Miller Park.
Milwaukee has won each of its last 11 games versus Pittsburgh and is a whopping 13-1 versus the Pirates this year. Pittsburgh's lone win in the series this season came in the finale of a three-game set in the Steel City on May 22.
The Brewers, who have won each of their last 14 at home over the Buccos, turned their domination of the Pirates into a possible playoff spot on Wednesday, as Milwaukee's 4-2 victory moved it into a tie with the Mets for the NL's final playoff spot. New York lost to the Cubs on Wednesday.
With four games to play, the Brewers are aiming for their first playoff spot since 1982, but will need to do so via the Wild Card, as Chicago has already clinched the NL Central.
Milwaukee, which wraps the season with three games at home versus the Cubs, led the Wild Card standings by 5 1/2 games heading into September, but dropped 15 of its first 19 in the month. However, the Brewers' win last night was their third in a row.
CC Sabathia, pitching on three days' rest for the second straight start, gutted out seven innings of one-run ball in the victory, his 10th since joining the Brewers. Prince Fielder added an RBI and scored twice while extending his hitting streak to 14 games. He is batting .407 (22-for-54) with six homers and 18 RBI over the run.
The Brewers won despite posting just two hits, as Pirates starter Paul Maholm issued six walks over six innings.
Adam LaRoche homered in Pittsburgh's fifth loss in six games. The Pirates end their season with three tests in San Diego.
Milwaukee has scrambled with its rotation as of late due to Ben Sheets' right elbow tendinitis. With Sabathia again pitching on short rest yesterday, the Brew Crew will start Yovani Gallardo tonight for the first time since May 1, while also hoping that Sheets will be able to start one final time this year.
Gallardo has been out since suffering a torn ACL in his right knee in a May 1 outing versus the Cubs. In three starts this year, the 22-year-old has a 1.80 earned run average, having allowed four runs over 20 innings without getting a decision.
The right-hander went 9-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 20 games (17 starts) last season and is 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA in three lifetime meetings with the Pirates.
The Pirates go with Zach Duke, who is coming off a no-decision versus the Dodgers last Wednesday in which he was hammered for five runs on 11 hits over five innings.
Duke is 5-14 with a 4.96 ERA this year and 3-4 with a 5.08 ERA in 11 career starts versus Milwaukee.