The Milwaukee Brewers hope to see a healthy Corbin Burnes on the mound Sunday when they play the rubber match of a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox.
Burnes (2-1, 4.76 ERA) left his most recent start Monday at Seattle in the sixth inning with a left pectoral strain. The right-hander reported no issues following his bullpen session on Friday, however.
“Really no concern. It’s normal soreness,” Burnes said earlier in the week. “We probably got away with something before it became too serious.”
On Sunday, right-hander Brayan Bello (0-1, 16.88) will make his second start for Boston since coming off the injured list.
Milwaukee evened the series at one victory apiece with a 5-4 victory Saturday, improving to 5-0 in one-run games. Hot-hitting Rowdy Tellez belted a two-run homer to pace the offense, and the bullpen clamped down late as the Brewers remained the only team in the major leagues to avoid losing consecutive games this season.
Rafael Devers brought the Red Sox within 5-4 with a two-run homer in the sixth inning off reliever Joel Payamps. The Brewers held firm, however, as Peter Strzelecki and Hoby Milner combined for two scoreless innings and Devin Williams finished for his third save.
Burnes got the victory in his start against the Mariners, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings before exiting with the injury. In his previous start, he gave up just three hits over eight scoreless innings in a 7-1 win at the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 11.
Opponents are batting .207 this season against Burnes, who has yet to face the Red Sox in his career.
Tellez, who also homered in Friday’s opener, has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .344 (11-for-32) with five homers and 12 RBIs.
“He’s a great hitter. He’s hitting good pitches on the corners and also putting good swings on some mistakes,” Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire said. “He’s right in the heart of that lineup for a reason. Our job is to get him out, and we’re just going to keep attacking him with our best stuff.”
Rookie Joey Wiemer, who switched to center field with the recent shoulder injury to Garrett Mitchell, made a leaping grab on the warning track to take away an extra-base hit by Alex Verdugo.
“He’s been incredible in center field. There’s a reason we’ve been playing him out there a lot,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He shows athleticism every day. For a big man, it’s pretty incredible.”
Bello, who posted a 2-8 record with a 4.71 ERA last season as a rookie, will make his second start after coming off the injured list. He was tagged for five runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings in his first outing on Monday, leaving following a rain delay in a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Justin Turner had two hits Saturday to improve to 15-for-44 (.341) over the last 12 games. He has four doubles, a homer, four RBIs, four walks and six runs in that stretch.
McGuire was hit on the top of the hand on a foul tip by Willy Adames in the eighth inning and stayed in Saturday’s game. Precautionary X-rays after the game were negative.
“It’s a little swollen right now, bruised, but just got some X-rays and all is negative, which is really good news,” McGuire said. “I’m going to ice right after this and be ready for (Sunday).”
–Field Level Media
