Both starting pitchers in Wednesday night's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and host Milwaukee Brewers will be trying to bounce back.

Pirates ace Paul Skenes will be attempting to rebound from two disastrous outings and Brewers starter Kyle Harrison will be making his first start after being on the injured list since July 11 with left forearm tightness.

Skenes, who is 9-9, has seen his ERA balloon to 3.90 after allowing a combined 10 runs in 9 1/3 innings in his past two starts.

The last of those two appearances came on Friday, when he did not get a decision in his team's 8-7 loss to the host Cincinnati Reds. Skenes surrendered five runs and seven hits in four innings with four walks and seven strikeouts.

"Struggling to finish guys," Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said about his star right-hander's recent issues. "Getting ahead and then finishing is the key to pitching. Doesn't matter if it's Paul or anybody else, it's something he's got to get back to doing."

Skenes has been effective in his career against Milwaukee with a 3-2 record and a 2.97 ERA in six games.

The most recent meeting was July 12, when he got the win over the visiting Brewers by limiting them to two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. It also helped that the Pirates' put up a 10-spot in the fourth inning of a 14-5 blowout.

Skenes also has 41 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings when facing Milwaukee.

Harrison (8-2, 3.01 ERA) last pitched in a major league game on July 8. He was the loser in a 5-1 loss to the host St. Louis Cardinals, giving up three runs on four hits in four innings. Harrison did not walk a batter and struck out two.

He went on the IL three days later.

But Harrison looked ready to return in a rehab start for High-A Wisconsin on Thursday night. He threw 5 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout ball with three walks and five strikeouts.

Harrison threw 68 pitches, 44 for strikes.

"The forearm felt great. I felt nothing," he said after the rehab outing. "The plan is to keep going and we'll see where it takes me next."

Wherever that is, Harrison will have a tough time improving on his success against the Pirates so far in his young career. He has allowed no runs and only six hits in 12 innings over two starts against Pittsburgh. Harrison has walked only one and has struck out 19 Pirates.

His last start against Pittsburgh was April 26, when he got the "W" by surrendering one hit in six innings with a walk and 12 strikeouts.

The four-game series is tied at one victory each after the Brewers' 4-2 win on Tuesday night.

Jackson Chourio went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, and Andrew Vaughn also hit a home run. Vaughn was a last-minute substitution for Jake Bauers in the lineup at first base because of the latter experienced abdominal tightness.

Logan Henderson got the win by allowing two runs and four hits in six innings, and Trevor Megill picked up his 19th save.

Jacob Gonzalez and Endy Rodriguez each homered for the Pirates.

--Field Level Media