Milwaukee @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2010 ) Milwaukee 12, LA Angels 2
The Milwaukee Brewers had very few questions about their offense coming into the season. The only question the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have is how to stop it.
The Brewers will be looking to move to .500 in interleague play when they face the Angels on Tuesday.
Milwaukee knew if it had an chance to contend this season, it would be behind an offense that boasted the likes of Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Corey Hart. And while the hitters have mostly held up their end of the bargain - ranking second in the National League in runs scored - the pitchers have not had much success carrying their own weight.
Randy Wolf set about changing that in the series opener on Monday, allowing two runs on three hits in seven strong innings to earn the win. He didn’t have much pressure to perform, however, as the Brewers offense reached double digits in runs for the first time since May 8 in a 12-2 thrashing of the Angels.
Braun hit a grand slam and Hart drove in a pair in the win, which moved the team to 3-4 this season in interleague play. In two previous series, Milwaukee dropped two of three to the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers.
The loss was a sharp departure for the Angels, who were returning home after having won 11 of 14 on the road.
Ervin Santana will get the call for Los Angeles on Tuesday. The right-hander had a five-start winning streak snapped last time out in a loss to the Oakland Athletics, when he allowed five runs - four earned - and seven hits in five innings while walking two and striking out three.
Santana has been a nice complement to Jered Weaver at the top of the Angels rotation this season, allowing two earned runs or less in half of his outings and ranking second behind Weaver with a 3.52 ERA and 73 strikeouts. During his winning streak from May 15 to June 5, Santana posted a 1.80 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 35 innings.
The Brewers will counter with one of their many struggling pitchers in Dave Bush. The veteran right-hander has not earned a win since April 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and is coming off a six-inning effort against the Chicago Cubs last week in which he allowed four runs in six innings without factoring in the decision.
Bush’s worst start of the season came during interleague play last month at Minnesota, when he managed to record only one out while surrendering seven runs on six hits and two walks.
Bush has had a lot of trouble keeping runners off the bases this season, allowing 73 hits and 32 walks in 64 total innings.