The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to veteran left-hander Wade Miley when they welcome the Los Angeles Angels for the first time since 2016 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
Miley (3-1, 1.96 ERA) will be opposed by left-hander Tyler Anderson (1-0, 7.20 ERA).
The Angels held off Oakland 8-7 on Thursday behind Shohei Ohtani, who pitched six innings for his fourth win despite giving up five runs — all in the fourth. Ohtani also had a triple, double and single, coming up just short of the cycle with an eighth-inning fly out to the wall in right-center.
Milwaukee snapped a three-game skid with a 6-2 victory over Detroit on Wednesday behind Freddy Peralta, who allowed two runs over six innings. The Brewers were idle Thursday.
“I thought it was just a great performance pitching-wise, in general, for Freddy,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “After losing the first two games (of the series), just being efficient and doing a great job, putting us in a great position with our bullpen.”
The Brewers will have to sweep the Angels to finish the nine-game homestand with a winning record.
Rookie Joey Wiemer continued a hot week with a homer and double in the win over Detroit on Wednesday. Wiemer is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles and a homer in his last seven games.
“Joey has to use that talent that he has and that strength he has as a feather in his cap and to be able to drive balls out the other way is something that makes you better, lets you wait a little longer,” Counsell said.
Victor Caratini also homered for the Brewers, who are 9-2 this season when hitting two homers in a game.
Miley, limited to 37 innings in nine games with the Cubs last season due to injuries, has been the Brewers’ most effective starter. In his last start, he allowed two runs in five innings to get the victory in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox.
Miley has not allowed a run in two of his four starts, and opponents are batting just .209 against him.
Miley is 5-1 with a 3.30 ERA in eight career starts vs. the Angels, the last time in 2019 when he was with Houston.
Anderson, 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA as an All-Star last season with the Dodgers, will be making his fifth start. He has not won since his first start when he allowed four hits over six scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory at Oakland on April 2.
In three starts since then, Anderson has allowed 17 runs, 16 earned, on 22 hits in 14 innings, allowing five home runs.
Anderson kept the ball in the park in his last start, but was tagged for six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with just one strikeout. He did not get the decision in an 11-8 loss to the Royals.
“I thought Tyler pitched fine,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said after Anderson’s last start. “If he goes that deep in the game most nights, we’re going to win.”
Anderson is 2-2 with a 5.82 ERA in four career starts against the Brewers. He is 1-2 with an 8.59 in three starts at American Family Field, allowing 14 runs in 14 2/3 innings.
The Angels have won four straight against Milwaukee and eight of last 10.
–Field Level Media
