Skidding right-hander Kyle Lohse will try to snap a three- start skid on Tuesday night when the Milwaukee Brewers visit the Pittsburgh Pirates for game two of a four-game set at PNC Park.
Lohse, who was 30-11 in the last two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, signed an offseason free-agent deal that brought him to Milwaukee - his fifth big-league team since he was initially drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1996.
The 34-year-old was 1-1 in 2013 after a 7-1 victory at San Diego on April 22, but has since lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis and Texas while allowing 25 hits and 10 runs across 18 1/3 innings of work.
His earned run average, which was 2.52 after the defeat of the Padres, has since swelled more than a run to 3.53.
Lohse is 9-2 in 17 career meetings with the Pirates, including 5-1 in 10 games at PNC Park.
He faces lefty Jeff Locke, who's not lost since his initial start of the season on April 7.
The former second-round pick of the Atlanta Braves was beaten, 6-2, by the Dodgers, but has since won three decisions in six starts while allowing 21 hits and 10 runs in 33 2/3 innings.
He tossed six innings of one-run ball against the New York Mets in his last start on May 9, but got a no-decision in the Pirates' 3-2 loss in New York.
Locke is 0-1 in his career against the Brewers.
On Monday, Norichika Aoki went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Marco Estrada spun seven innings of one run ball as the Brewers snapped a four-game skid with a 5-1 victory.
Milwaukee ran all over A.J. Burnett (3-4) with Jean Segura recording three of six stolen bases while also racking up three hits and an RBI.
Aoki swiped two bags and scored twice while Carlos Gomez added an RBI in the victory, just Milwaukee's second in the month of May.
After getting rocked for 13 runs over his last two outings, Estrada (3-2) bounced back with a strong performance on Monday, matching his longest start of the season. He allowed just three hits and struck out five.
"That's what you hope for, but to turn around that quick is difficult," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke. "He commanded the ball just like we saw him last year when he was on."
Burnett allowed more than two runs for the first time in six starts, charged with four -- three earned -- on seven hits. He struck out seven as Pittsburgh saw its three-game win streak come to an end.
"I've gotten good over my career at turning the page quickly, one pitch at a time and not letting things escalate," said Burnett.
Pedro Alvarez plated the only run for the Pirates, who had just four hits.
The Brewers won two of three at home against the Pirates earlier this season and are 14-5 in the past 19 meetings between the Central foes.
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