New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer will offer a veteran challenge for the Brewers’ young hitters on Tuesday in the second game of Milwaukee’s first home series.
Scherzer (1-0, 4.50 ERA) will be opposed by veteran lefty Wade Miley, who will be seeking his 100th career victory in his first start of the season.
Milwaukee took the series opener 10-0 on Monday behind a grand slam homer from rookie Brice Turang and six scoreless innings from starter Freddy Peralta. It was the Brewers’ third straight win after a season-opening loss to the Cubs.
Turang’s first career homer capped a seven-run fifth. Brian Anderson had a two-run homer in the fourth, the Brewers’ first long ball of the season. Milwaukee had been one of two teams without a home run.
Turang, who got his opportunity when the Brewers traded Kolten Wong to Seattle in the offseason, has reached base in seven of his last nine plate appearances. He had two hits and two walks in a 9-5 win over the Cubs on Sunday, and also walked and singled against the Mets.
Turang has five hits in 10 at-bats with five RBIs and two stolen bases.
“He’s off to a good start,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “The thing that we’ve talked about Brice, is that he’s capable of impacting the game kind of in every different way. Through the first four games, I think that’s what he’s done, he’s impacted in a lot of different ways.”
Fellow rookie Joey Wiemer singled and reached on a walk, and second-year speedster Garrett Mitchell singled, walked and scored twice on Monday. Wiemer also made a perfect throw from right field to second to cut down Daniel Vogelbach, trying to stretch a single into a double.
“They’re good players,” Counsell said. “Good players aren’t intimidated.”
Mets starter Carlos Carrasco, a 15-game winner last season, lasted just four innings, giving up five runs on four hits with four walks. Tommy Hunter was tagged for five runs in two innings. Luis Guillorme, who started at third base, pitched the final inning.
The Mets opened the season with two consecutive road series, winning three of four at Miami before the trip to Milwaukee.
“I knew coming into the season, I think we were one of three teams playing eight (seven) games on the road, it was going to be a challenge pitching-wise,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said.
Scherzer, 11-5 with a 2.29 ERA in 23 starts for the Mets last season, allowed three runs over six innings in a 5-3 season-opening victory against the Marlins. He gave up four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in his 91-pitch outing.
Scherzer is 3-3 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) versus Milwaukee. He is 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) at American Family Field.
Miley, who missed most of last season with three trips to the injured list, was limited to nine games (eight starts) with the Cubs, going 2-2 with a 3.16 ERA.
Miley, who also pitched for Milwaukee in 2018, is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in six career starts against the Mets.
–Field Level Media