Brewers open division play vs. Paul Skenes, Pirates

The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to veteran Brandon Woodruff as they finally face a National League Central opponent when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

Woodruff (2-0, 3.42 ERA) will oppose fellow right-hander Paul Skenes (3-1, 3.27), the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner.

Milwaukee lost 5-4 at Detroit on Thursday on Spencer Torkelson's walk-off solo homer in the ninth inning off Abner Uribe. The Brewers dropped back-to-back games to finish their road trip at 3-3.

The Pirates lost at Texas 6-1 on Thursday, with their only run on Oneil Cruz's team-leading eighth homer of the season. Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler allowed a season-high six runs in four innings.

The Brewers, the three-time defending NL Central champions, will play a division rival for the first time after 24 games, including 18 against American League opponents. Each team in the NL Central is above .500.

Woodruff, still returning to form after a late-September injury that kept him out of the playoffs, went a season-high seven innings in his last start. He allowed one run on three hits in a 5-2 victory Saturday at Miami, striking out four and walking one in an efficient 92-pitch outing.

"Woody was tremendous," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said afterward. "It just goes to show you, old-school command and keeping them off-balance.

Woodruff is 8-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 19 career games (17 starts) against the Pirates. He was 1-0 in two starts last season vs. them and did not give up a run in 10 innings.

Milwaukee, without injured regulars Jackson Chourio, Andrew Vaughn and Christian Yelich, are tied for 25th in the majors with just 19 homers. The Brewers, however, lead in stolen bases with 35.

Jake Bauers and Gary Sanchez, with five homers each, and Brice Turang with four, have accounted for 14 of Milwaukee's 19 long balls.

Milwaukee has won eight straight games against the Pirates, who have not lost consecutive games this season since falling in their first two games.

Skenes has a 1.27 ERA over his last four starts, allowing just three runs in 21 1/3 innings. In his most recent outing, he allowed three hits over four scoreless innings against Tampa Bay but did not return after a lengthy rain delay. Pittsburgh lost 8-7 in 13 innings.

"Short outing, but you know, felt like the execution was pretty good," Skenes said afterward.

Skenes is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four career starts vs. the Brewers. He was 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts against them last season, allowing nine runs in 14 innings.

Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal started for Detroit against Milwaukee on Thursday. With the Brewers scheduled to face Skenes on Friday, they will go against Cy Young Award winners in consecutive games, a rarity.