Houston @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 7, 2010 ) Houston 2, Milwaukee 5
A familiar face was back in an old role on Saturday night. And because Trevor Hoffman got the job done, the Milwaukee Brewers are in position to finish off a sweep of the Houston Astros in Sunday’s finale of a three-game series.
Hoffman got called on to pitch in a save situation for the first time since May 18 and pitched a perfect ninth inning for career save No. 597 during Milwaukee’s 5-2 victory over the Astros.
Hoffman entered the game with his trademark “Hells Bells” playing and needed just eight pitches to retire the side.
The save was the first since May 7 for Hoffman, who hopes to reach 600 saves before the 2010 campaign ends. Current Brewers closer John Axford is 16-for-17 in save situations.
Hoffman blew five saves before being removed from the closer’s role, a job he performed at a probable Hall of Fame level for the San Diego Padres before joining the Brewers last season.
Hoffman has now thrown nine scoreless innings in nine appearances since the All-Star break. He has allowed just five hits and hasn’t issued any walks.
The Brewers send Yovani Gallardo to the mound today in search of finishing off the sweep, which would be sweet revenge for Milwaukee. The Brewers were swept by the Astros last weekend in Houston.
Gallardo (10-5) has enjoyed success against the Astros with a 6-2 record and 2.72 earned-run average in eight career starts. He defeated Houston in late June despite giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings.
In his last start, Gallardo struck out 12 in six innings and gave up just one run and two hits against the Chicago Cubs to lower his ERA to 2.71.
Wesley Wright will oppose Gallardo. His lone victory of the season occurred last Sunday against the Brewers, when he gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Milwaukee’s two runs came on a Corey Hart homer. Hart has homered twice in six career at-bats against the left-handed Wright.
Overall, Wright has appeared in nine games for the Astros, including three starts. He’s 1-1 with a 4.44 ERA.
Wright must be careful of the right side of the Milwaukee infield.
First baseman Prince Fielder has five RBIs in the series and 11 over the last five contests. Second baseman Rickie Weeks hit his 23rd homer on Saturday and set a team record with his seventh leadoff homer of the season.
Houston third baseman Chris Johnson went 2-for-4 on Saturday for his 11th multi-hit game in the last 17 contests. Johnson is hitting .452 (14-for-31) in nine career games against Milwaukee.