Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames will try to add to his home run streak against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Adames homered for the fifth straight game on Monday in the opener of the three-game series, paving the way for the 9-3 win against the Cardinals and tying a club record.
It was also the 13th three-run homer of the season for Adames, tying him with Ken Griffey Jr. for the most three-run homers in a season in major league history.
“For me to have my name right next to his is just an honor,” Adames said. “It’s something that I never thought would happen. It’s just a special moment for me and my family.”
Jackson Chourio belted a grand slam in the win on Tuesday, the second grand slam of his rookie season. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy was equally impressed with the three walks Chourio generated.
“He’s in that sweet spot, that right focus,” Murphy said. “He’s got just enough smile and just enough intensity and just enough focus. He’s just in a great spot. It seems like he was born to do this.”
The Brewers plan to start right-hander Aaron Civale on Tuesday.
Civale (5-8, 4.59) went 3-1 in five starts in August with a 3.29 ERA. He most recently threw seven shutout innings in a 6-0 win against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, holding them to two hits.
Civale made his only start against St. Louis on Aug. 30, 2020, as a member of the Cleveland Indians, allowing five runs and eight hits in six innings of a 7-2 loss.
“It’s on me to go out there and compete,” Civale said. “That’s the emphasis with each pitch, is just to throw a competitive pitch. Whatever happens, know that the work behind it is valid, and just having confidence in that.”
The Cardinals plan to start right-hander Sonny Gray on Tuesday.
Gray (12-9, 3.96) ended a three-start losing streak in his most recent outing last Thursday, holding the San Diego Padres to one run and three hits in six innings of a 4-1 win.
“(Gray’s) our guy. He’s going to continue to be on the attack,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “He’s just so prepared. You watch him day to day, you watch him prepare for his start, and it’s impressive. He knows what’s on the line, and he’s going to give us his best shot.”
Gray has made 15 starts against the Brewers in his career and is 4-5 with a 3.31 ERA.
He has lost both his outings against Milwaukee this season, giving up two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-0 loss on April 21, and six runs and seven hits over five innings of a 7-1 loss on May 9.
Cardinals rookie catcher Pedro Pages homered twice off Freddy Peralta in their loss Monday, giving him five home runs on the season.
“He’s continuing to take really good swings,” Marmol said. “I like where he’s at right now from an approach standpoint. He’s got enough power to do what he did (Monday); it’s a really good arm he did it against.”
–Field Level Media