Texas @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2010 ) Texas 2, Milwaukee 6
The Texas Rangers have long been known as an offensive juggernaut. For the past decade, the Rangers have put up eye-opening offensive statistics, highlighted by the home run ball.
But it was the Milwaukee Brewers who had a power display on Friday night, blasting four home runs en route to a 6-2 victory in the opener of a three-game series.
The Brewers will try to continue their good fortune when they send left-hander Manny Parra to the mound on Saturday. The Rangers will counter with right-hander Scott Feldman.
Milwaukee got off to a quick start Friday as Ryan Braun launched a two-run homer in the first inning. Casey McGehee, Corey Hart and Prince Fielder added home runs later in the game.
It was certainly a welcome sign for the Brewers, who have won four of their past five games. And it’ll be up to Parra to continue the Brewers' recent string of success.
In his last game, Parra had 10 strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals but went only 5 1/3 innings after throwing 101 pitches. But Parra did make the record books, becoming the 50th player in big league history to strikeout four batters in an inning. He did so in the fourth inning after St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina reached on a wild pitch.
However, this will be Parra’s first start against the Rangers.
Texas, meanwhile, will look for Feldman to keep the team in the game. Making his 13th start of the season, Feldman has posted a 5.73 ERA. In his past seven starts, Feldman is 2-4 with a 6.45 ERA - including no quality starts.
In his last start on Monday against the Seattle Mariners, Feldman went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The head-scratching part about the start is how he threw 120 pitches, yet somehow didn’t go at least six innings.
More worrisome for the Rangers, Feldman is 1-4 with a 7.18 ERA in his five road games this season - and 1-4 with a 5.71 ERA in 18 career interleague games. Regardless, Feldman has never faced the Brewers in his career and will look to regain his 2009 form.
Offensively, the Rangers struggled to get going on Friday. Michael Young had two hits, including an RBI double, and Vladimir Guerrero had a solo home run.
Aside from that, the Rangers didn’t produce - going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and leaving three runners on base.
Young (1,744) is now only three hits shy of tying the all-time franchise record, held by Ivan Rodriguez.