The Milwaukee Brewers will continue their parade of right-handers when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night in the second game of a four-game series.
Right-hander Freddy Peralta (0-0, 6.75 ERA) gets the nod for Milwaukee, while right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-0, 4.91) starts for the Cardinals.
The Brewers defeated St. Louis 5-1 on Thursday in their home opener. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed three hits over five scoreless innings.
Omar Narvaez had a solo homer in the second inning and an RBI double in the third that put the Brewers up 4-0 against Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright. Milwaukee went on to record its third straight victory.
Woodruff allowed three hits, struck out two and walked one. Milwaukee reliever Trevor Gott pitched two scoreless innings before Jandel Gustave allowed Tommy Edman’s leadoff homer in the eighth.
The Brewers avoided using their normal back end of the bullpen. Brad Boxberger, Devin Williams and closer Josh Hader, who had saved each of the team’s first three victories, all got the day off.
“When you look at that game and you’re thinking, three of their back-end guys (won’t pitch), you’re going to have a shot late in the game if we can get that (starter) out of there by the fifth,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “You feel pretty good going in with that being the game plan, but unfortunately we weren’t able to deliver.”
Brewers ace right-hander Corbin Burnes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, pitched seven scoreless innings Wednesday in a 4-2 win at Baltimore. Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta were All-Stars last season.
“I think the thing we’re all going to have to get used to is we’re getting a little spoiled by these guys,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “They are great, but they are going to have hiccups. Their seasons are going to be different. They’re still going to be great, but they’re going to be different. They’re talented, they work hard, they’re conscientious and they’re going to have success over the long term.”
Peralta allowed three runs on three hits in four innings during his season debut Sunday, a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up a three-run homer in the first and walked four, but he struck out six.
Peralta is 2-3 with a 5.89 ERA in 11 career games against St. Louis, including seven starts. He went 0-2 with a 5.29 ERA in four starts against the Cardinals last season.
Mikolas battled through a 41-pitch first inning in his first start, lasting 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. He gave up two runs on six hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
Mikolas is 5-2 with a 3.93 ERA in nine career games against Milwaukee, including eight starts. His five wins against the Brewers are his highest total against any team.
Last year, Mikolas went 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts vs. Milwaukee, striking out 10 and walking one in 12 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media