Brewers at Padres
Ryan
Braun showed why he is the National League MVP with a career
performance Monday. The Milwaukee Brewers can only hope his three-homer,
six-RBI game will lead to another monster season. The Brewers will go
for their third straight victory when they meet the San Diego Padres on
Tuesday. They improved to 2-2 on their nine-game road trip, thanks to
Braun’s explosion in an 8-3 victory. Braun was off to a slow start with
four homers and 11 RBIs, and it’s only a matter of time before teams
start pitching around Braun without the departed Prince Fielder hitting
behind him. It hasn’t happened yet, though, as Braun has been walked
only six times.
San Diego has the worst record in the National
League at 7-17 and its offense is a big reason. The Padres are batting
an NL-low .212 – only Oakland’s .205 is worst – and have scored 70 runs,
fourth-fewest in the major leagues. The Padres have a respectable 3.42
ERA, but haven’t supported their pitchers very well. Edinson Volquez,
who will start Tuesday, has received 12 runs of support in five starts.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Shaun Marcum (1-1, 4.13 ERA) vs. Padres RH Edinson Volquez (0-2, 3.60)
Marcum
allowed four runs (three earned) and eight hits with a season-high
seven strikeouts in five innings and got a no-decision in Milwaukee’s
7-5 loss to Houston on Wednesday. He has allowed 16 hits in his last two
starts covering 11 innings. Marcum is 2-0 lifetime against the Padres
and the San Diego roster bats .250 against him.
Volquez has
allowed 22 hits with 29 strikeouts in 30 innings, but San Diego has
provided only 12 runs of support in his five starts. Volquez allowed one
run, three hits and struck out seven and received a no-decision in the
Padres’ 2-1 loss to Washington on Thursday. Current Brewers are batting
.323 against Volquez. Rickie Weeks (6-for-10, two homers) and Ryan Braun
(7-for-19, homer) are the toughest outs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres third baseman Chase Headley is 2-for-17 with seven strikeouts in his last five games
2. Milwaukee closer John Axford has recorded 48 consecutive regular season saves, the fourth-longest streak in history.
3. San Diego has committed a major league-worst 28 errors in 23 games.