Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (55-62).

Site: PNC Park.

TV, radio: Tomorrow on FSN Pittsburgh, all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network.

Starting matchups: RHP Victor Santos (4-7, 5.58) vs. RHP Dave Bush (8-8, 4.67), LHP Tom Gorzelanny (2-3, 4.19) vs. LHP Doug Davis (8-6, 5.02), LHP Zach Duke (8-10, 5.09) vs. LHP Chris Capuano (10-8, 3.76).

Season series: Pirates, 6-4.

Three things to know about the Brewers: 1. Mediocrity will not get them back in the wild-card race. They are 5-7 in their past 12, largely because they are batting .236 in that span. 2. 1B Prince Fielder is an exception, batting .340 since the All-Star break with six home runs and 13 RBIs. He has done little against the Pirates this season, though, going 8 for 37 with three extra-base hits. 3. Bush is coming off perhaps his best outing of the season, limiting the Cubs to three runs in eight innings and taking a no-hitter into the sixth. Before that, he pitched six shutout innings in Denver.

The Pirates' key to success: Score first. The only team that has allowed the opponent to get the first run more often than the Brewers' 71 is ... well, the Pirates, with 72.

The intangible: Home has been sweet for the Pirates. They have won 11 of the past 15 at PNC Park and are 31-28 there for the season, a far cry from their 14-45 road mark.

On deck: A six-game trip to face contenders in Cincinnati and Atlanta.