Arizona @ Milwaukee preview
Miller Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 5, 2013 ) Arizona 3, Milwaukee 1
The Milwaukee Brewers have dropped three of their first four games, but it is the losses in the lineup that have them most concerned. The Brewers host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday and might be without their two most dangerous hitters - Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez. Braun was a late scratch Friday with neck spasms while Ramirez suffered a sprained left knee sliding into second base during Friday's 3-1 loss.
The Diamondbacks are off to a 3-1 start, and two of the wins were memorable. After their 10-9 victory in 16 innings over St. Louis on Wednesday, Arizona won Friday on a wild pitch which scored two runs and broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning. Patrick Corbin, who earned the No. 5 spot in the rotation in spring training, gets the ball Saturday for Arizona and will oppose Mike Fiers, who is trying to regain his confidence after a poor finish to 2013.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (2012: 6-8, 4.54 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Mike Fiers (9-10, 3.74)
Fiers lost four of five decisions in six September starts last season after winning four of his six August decisions. The 27-year-old Hollywood, Fla., native also had a rough spring training, posting a 6.98 ERA while allowing 29 hits in 19 1/3 innings. "I’m just glad they didn’t really take the spring like it was the biggest (determiner)," Fiers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I’m glad they still have in mind what I did last year."
Corbin beat out Randall Delgado and highly touted prospect Tyler Skaggs for the spot in the rotation. The 23-year-old Clay, N.Y., native posted a 2.81 ERA in spring training and struck out 26 in 25 1/3 innings. Corbin faced Milwaukee once in 2012, a relief appearance in which he allowed a walk-off unearned run. While earning the No. 5 spot was Corbin's primary goal, he also said he wanted to develop a breaking ball he can throw consistently for strikes.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona OF Gerardo Parra is 9-for-19 with four doubles, a triple and a home run.
2. Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy, who signed a five-year contract extension worth at least a guaranteed $11 million, is 0-for-13.
3. The Diamondbacks have struck out 10 or more batters in five straight games dating to 2012, tying the club record previously set Aug. 21-25, 2008.
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 3, Brewers 2