The Pittsburgh Pirates welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to PNC Park on Wednesday, September 16, for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch. Jared Jones gets the ball for Pittsburgh against Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson in what shapes up as a compelling late-season pitching matchup. With September providing meaningful regular season baseball on the North Shore, the Pirates will need a strong performance from their lineup — led by a potent top-four in Konnor Griffin, Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz — to come away with a win against a Brewers club that is never easy to put away.

Pitching Matchup: Jared Jones vs. Logan Henderson

Jared Jones is Pittsburgh's assignment on the mound Wednesday. The young right-hander has been one of the more closely watched arms in the Pirates rotation, and his ability to generate swings and misses will be critical against a disciplined Milwaukee lineup. Henderson takes the ball for Milwaukee, and the Brewers righty gives Pittsburgh's order something to figure out early. Neither pitcher has advanced stats available heading into this preview, but both represent legitimate rotation pieces for their respective clubs.

Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup

• 1. Konnor Griffin, SS
• 2. Brandon Lowe, 2B
• 3. Bryan Reynolds, DH
• 4. Oneil Cruz, CF
• 5. Rafael Flores Jr., C
• 6. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B
• 7. Ronny Simon, RF
• 8. Jacob Gonzalez, 3B
• 9. Jake Mangum, LF

Keys to Watch at PNC Park

Konnor Griffin Setting the Table

Griffin leads off for Pittsburgh, and his ability to get on base is the ignition for everything this lineup wants to do. If he can work Henderson early and put pressure on Milwaukee's defense, the Pirates have the lineup depth behind him — Lowe, Reynolds, and Cruz — to capitalize.

The Cruz Factor in the Middle of the Order

Oneil Cruz hitting fourth and playing center field is a lineup construction worth noting. Cruz's raw power gives Pittsburgh legitimate run-scoring upside in the middle innings. Henderson will have to navigate carefully when Cruz steps in with runners on base.

Jones Keeping Milwaukee Off the Board Early

The Brewers are the kind of team that can string hits together and make life difficult for starting pitchers who fall behind in counts. Jones needs to work efficiently in the early innings and trust his stuff. If he can carry Pittsburgh deep into the game, it keeps the bullpen fresh for a critical stretch of September baseball.

Bottom of the Order Contribution

Ryan O'Hearn, Ronny Simon, Jacob Gonzalez, and Jake Mangum round out the lineup. Any production from that group — a hit here, a walk there — takes pressure off the top of the order and can swing the outcome of a close game.

Prediction

This one comes down to how sharp Jones is from the first inning. Pittsburgh has the lineup to put up runs, and playing at PNC Park with a crowd behind them is an advantage. If Jones controls the strike zone and the Cruz-Reynolds portion of the order does damage, the Pirates take this one. Pirates 4, Brewers 2.

Coverage begins at 6:40 PM ET. Watch on SportsNet Pittsburgh or listen on Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan.