A pair of veteran pitchers will square off for the second time in a week on Wednesday night when the Atlanta Braves host the Milwaukee Brewers in the second game of their three-game series.
Atlanta will send left-hander Chris Sale (13-3, 2.71 ERA) against Milwaukee right-hander Freddy Peralta (6-6, 3.89) in a rematch of last Wednesday’s contest, a 6-2 win for the Braves. Neither pitcher figured in the decision.
Milwaukee won the series opener 10-0 on Tuesday to even the season series at 2-2.
Sale, who leads the National League in wins, has not received a decision in his two starts since the All-Star break. Against the Brewers last week, he pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs — both in the first inning — on six hits and three walks, with six strikeouts. He has not allowed more than two runs in any of his past nine starts.
“Coming off the mound after that bad first inning, there’s so much game left,” Sale said following last week’s contest. “You can’t cash it in there. Just tried to collect myself and get back going in the right direction.”
In three career starts against Milwaukee, Sale is 1-0 with a 1.66 ERA.
Peralta has not earned a win since June 30. In his most recent start against the Braves, he received no decision after pitching six innings and allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and striking out seven.
Peralta has made seven appearances (six starts) against Atlanta in his career, going 3-2 with a 4.19 ERA.
Willy Adames had the big offensive night for Milwaukee on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. He is tied for the club lead with 19 homers and is fifth in the National League with 75 RBI.
But the hottest hitter in the lineup has been center fielder Garrett Mitchell, even considering he was 0-for-5 Tuesday and is batting .348 (16-for-46) over his last 16 games. Mitchell has played well since returning from a fractured left finger that caused him to miss 84 games.
“I’m really treating each day one day at a time,” Mitchell said. “I’m not looking forward or backwards. I’m just taking the opportunity I have that day and being prepared to do whatever it takes to win. I’m trying to be where my feet are right now and just have fun while I’m doing it.”
Teammate Rhys Hoskins had two hits Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
The Braves, who had gone 231 games at home without being shut out, have been blanked in the past two games. The Braves have been outscored 20-0 over the past 24 innings. They managed only six hits on Tuesday, two of them doubles by Matt Olson.
Travis d’Arnaud went 0-for-4 and saw his career-best 10-game hitting streak end. Orlando Arcia was 0-for-3 but drew a walk to extend his on-base streak to 18 games.
Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris may be close to returning from the injured list. He made a rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and lined a single on the first pitch he saw. Harris will be the designated hitter for two or three games and then begin playing the outfield. He has been out with a strained left hamstring since June 15 and is eligible to be reinstated on Aug. 14.
–Field Level Media