Tonight, YOUR Milwaukee Brewers go out huntin' for their fifth win on this ten-game roadie. Based on the way the team looked in that last homestand, I'd be more than happy with a .500 record on this trip. How about you?
Pitching match-ups, line-ups, and SNAAAAAAKES! But first: we jump.
For the Crew, crafty southpaw Randy Wolf (2-2, 3.86) toes the slab. In his last start, Wolf was, in a word, awful: 5 IP, 6 hits, 6 BB, 4 ER, 2 HR allowed against the Padres, in what eventually became an 8-0 whitewash. As a member of the Dodgers in 2009, Wolf faced the Snakes four times, picking up two wins and posting a 3.71 ERA with 23 strike outs, just six walks, and two homers allowed. Eight D-backs have faced Wolf more than 10 times in their (respective) careers, and the lines look like this:
PLAYER | AVG | OBP | SLG |
Mark Reynolds (20 PA) | .105 | .150 | .316 |
Adam LaRoche (19 PA) | .375 | .474 | .625 |
Chris Young (19 PA) | .250 | .333 | .500 |
Augie Ojeda (14 PA) | .286 | .286 | .357 |
Chris Snyder (14 PA) | .300 | .500 | .300 |
Stephen Drew (11 PA) | .100 | .091 | .300 |
Conor Jackson (11 PA) | .400 | .455 | .500 |
Justin Upton (11 PA) | .200 | .273 | .500 |
For the Diamondbacks, it's young pup Cesar Valdez, who's making his second career start. Valdez made his major league debut on Monday against Houston and picked up a win, going five innings and ceding a single run while striking out two and walking three. Last year, at Triple-A Reno, Valdez put together a 7-6, 4.78 ERA line in 18 starts. He only struck out 60 in those 18 starts, though, so expect lots of riveting PITCHING TO CONTACT tonight.
Via the estimable T-Haud, here's the Brewers line-up:
2B Rickie Weeks
CF Jim Edmonds
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casey McGehee
RF Jody Gerut
C George Kottaras
SS Alcides Escobar
P Randy Wolf
Maybe I missed this, but did something happen to Corey Hart? I wonder if his man-goggles finally arrived in Phoenix and he got lost trying to pick them up.
As for the arms in the 'pen:
Todd Coffey pitched 1 inning (13 pitches) yesterday, and also threw on Wednesday and Tuesday.
LaTroy Hawkins pitched imploded in .1 innings (21 pitches) Thursday.
Jeff Suppan pitched 2 innings (27 pitches) Thursday and 1 inning on Wednesday.
Carlos Villanueva pitched 2 innings (24 pitches) yesterday.
Manny Parra pitched 1 inning (21 pitches) Tuesday.
Claudio Vargas pitched 1 inning (28 pitches) Thursday.
Trevor Hoffman pitched 1 inning (12 pitches) and picked up a save yesterday.
Y'all know what to do from here. Bring me home a winner!