Mets at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers hope to ride the momentum after their best offensive performance of the season when they go for the series victory Sunday afternoon against the visiting New York Mets. The Brewers recorded season highs in hits (19), winning margin and runs scored during their 17-6 destruction of the Mets on Saturday as they won for the second straight game after being shut out in the series opener Thursday.
Lorenzo Cain had three hits and scored three times Saturday to extend his hitting streak to six games (10-for-24) for Milwaukee, while Travis Shaw posted two more hits and is 6-for-12 with a pair of homers, three walks and seven RBIs in the past three contests. Jhoulys Chacin looks to continue his solid pitching when he takes the mound for the Brewers in the series finale and Zack Wheeler hopes to get some reward for another strong outing when he starts for the Mets. New York posted 12 hits Saturday and had a 5-3 lead early on before getting pounded in the middle innings to lose for the fourth time in five contests. Mets outfielder Michael Conforto has homered in back-to-back games and is 4-for-12 in the series, while infielder Wilmer Flores is 5-for-13 the last three games with three RBIs.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (2-4, 5.32 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jhoulys Chacin (3-1, 3.32)
Wheeler is winless in four straight games despite allowing one earned run in two of them, including Tuesday when he a suffered a 5-1 loss to Miami. The 27-year-old Georgia native owns four quality starts over his eight outings in 2018 but just two in his last six trips to the mound. Hernan Perez is 2-for-3 with a double versus Wheeler, who is 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in three turns against Milwaukee.
Chacin gave up two hits, four walks and struck out six across five scoreless innings Tuesday for his second straight no-decision. The 30-year-old Venezuelan has permitted two or fewer runs in seven of his last eight outings after struggling in the first three of 2018. Conforto is 5-for-12 with a homer against Chacin, who is 2-5 with a 5.76 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) versus the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York OF Brandon Nimmo belted his fourth homer Saturday, added a walk and boasts a team-best .429 on-base percentage.
2. Milwaukee C Erik Kratz had a single and a solo homer in five at-bats during his first game with the team Saturday.
3. Mets 1B Adrian Gonzalez is just 2-for-12 in the series but is batting .390 in his career at Miller Park in Milwaukee.