Manager Craig Counsell has the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching staff playing their best ball of the season.
The group's collective ERA has fallen in every month since June, bottoming out at 3.35 through 15 games in September, sixth-lowest in the majors.
| Month | ERA |
| June | 4.24 |
| July | 4.17 |
| August | 3.72 |
| September | 3.35 |
They hit the road Monday for a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Brent Suter in line to start.
The second-year pitcher has been solid early in 11 starts for the Brewers this season.
He has a 1.64 ERA and has held opposing batters to a .174 average through the third inning this season, but his average balloons to 6.94 from the fourth inning on.
And while the Brewers' arms are heating up, the Pirates' bats continue to cool.
Pittsburgh is averaging just 3.06 runs per game this month, down from a rate of 3.93 runs per game last month.
| Month | Runs/Game |
| June | 4.96 |
| July | 4.20 |
| August | 3.93 |
| September | 3.06 |
The Brewers may be averaging 1.41 home runs per game this season -- good for second in the National League -- but could have a harder time hitting them out in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are allowing 1.15 home runs per nine innings this season, third lowest in the NL.
