The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park in the middle game of a three-game weekend set, giving the clubs one more meeting before the All-Star break. The pitching matchup featured Shane Drohan for the Brewers and Bubba Chandler for the Pirates.
Drohan keeps working back into the rotation
Drohan entered the game with a 4-2 record and a 2.97 ERA, a solid line for a pitcher who only recently returned to the starting rotation. He made his major league debut as a starter on April 8, then spent April and May in the bullpen before moving back into the rotation in June.
That transition has mattered for Milwaukee. Drohan has now started five of his seven starts, and his most recent outing before this game came on July 6 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. In that start, he worked six innings, allowed six hits and three runs, and helped the Brewers to a 4-3 win.
Chandler gets another look against Milwaukee
Chandler took the ball for Pittsburgh after facing the Brewers in his most recent start. In that outing, he went four innings, allowed six hits and four earned runs, and the Pirates still won 11-5. His record and ERA heading into this matchup stood at 3-8 and 4.82.
The rematch gave both clubs a familiar look at a starter they had already seen recently, which made the middle game of the set especially relevant. For Pittsburgh, it was another chance to measure Chandler against a division opponent. For Milwaukee, it was a test of how Drohan handled a second straight important start after his move back into the rotation.
With the first half winding down, games like this matter because they help shape how each team enters the break. The Pirates and Brewers still had one more game left in the series, but the opener to the final stretch already had a clear postseason feel.
