The Milwaukee Brewers, who are trying to keep hold of first place in the National League Central, will go for a series win Sunday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
A player missing in action for months will return as Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 0.79 ERA) is slated to come off the 60-day IL to make his first start since April 7. He has been out because of a right shoulder injury.
“I’m smiling, man. It’s been so dadgum long,” Woodruff told MLB.com. “Obviously, I hold myself to a high standard and expect a lot of myself, but just being healthy (after) not being able to play for three months up here, it puts a lot of things in perspective a little bit. I’m just happy I get to pitch.”
Woodruff, who went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 starts last season, said he hopes to reach 75 to 80 pitches Sunday.
“I don’t know if there’s any expectations,” the two-time All-Star said. “I’ll just be happy to throw a pitch out here. That’s the reality of my situation I’ve got going on.
“I’ve made two starts (for Milwaukee) and three in the minor leagues (in a rehab assignment), so the reality is I’ve made five starts all year. Now when I go out there, my mindset is, ‘I’m going to go out there and put up zeros and do my job to the best of my ability.’ But I don’t know if there’s any expectations.”
Woodruff is 6-2 with a 3.70 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) against Pittsburgh.
This series has had a couple of different flavors. The teams combined for 27 runs in splitting the first two games of the four-game set.
Saturday was much different, with the Brewers having to dig deep to win 3-2 in 10 innings.
Rookie Blake Perkins was the hero in that one, making a risky move in the ninth to take second base on a flyout to right and eventually scoring the tying run that inning, then getting his first career walk-off hit, a single in the 10th.
“Credit to him for putting himself in a big spot (on the tag and advance) and putting a good swing on a baseball,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
Perkins entered late in the game Thursday in Milwaukee’s 14-1 win and did not play Friday.
“It’s always awesome to come through for your team,” Perkins told Bally Sports Wisconsin. “You don’t come through every opportunity, but when you do, that’s what matters.”
The Pirates have gone 2-0-1 in their past three series but have lost three of their past four games.
In the series finale, Pittsburgh is expected to start right-hander Johan Oviedo (5-11, 4.42).
Oviedo has won two straight starts following an eight-decision losing streak. On Tuesday against Detroit, he gave up one run and six hits in seven innings.
“He was in command of his pitches the entire game. Really solid start,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.
Oviedo is 1-2 with a 6.16 ERA in five career games (two starts) against the Brewers. In his only time facing them this year, he gave up eight runs in five innings in a July 1 loss.
–Field Level Media
