The Milwaukee Brewers likely will be without injured slugger Rhys Hoskins when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday in the middle game of the three-game set.
Joe Ross (1-4, 4.75 ERA) will start for Milwaukee, while fellow right-hander Quinn Priester (0-3, 3.86) gets the nod for Pittsburgh.
Bryan Reynolds went 5-for-5 with a homer and two doubles to pace the Pirates to an 8-6 victory in Monday’s series opener, which Hoskins left in the second inning with a hamstring injury.
Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal each added a two-run homer. Pirates starter Mitch Keller tossed six scoreless innings despite taking a line drive off his leg in the second inning. Milwaukee rallied against Pittsburgh’s bullpen, pulling within 7-6 in the eighth on Jake Bauers’ first career grand slam. Reynolds capped his first five-hit night with a solo homer in the ninth.
“That was back-and-forth and wild, but offensively we did a really good job and prevailed,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I thought we swung the bats really well.”
After averaging 3.49 runs per game through the first 39 games, the Pirates have scored 22 runs over their last three games.
Hoskins, who has a team-high nine homers, left Monday’s game with a right hamstring issue after a single in the second inning. He is slated for an MRI on Tuesday.
“I just felt a little grab in the hamstring and I’ve kind of learned over the years, especially not to push soft-tissue stuff like that,” said Hoskins, who missed all of last season with Philadelphia after surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee. “I really don’t have much for you guys right now. I’m sure we’ll get some imaging (Tuesday) and see where we’re at.”
Ross, who missed most of the last two seasons after a second Tommy John surgery, has been inconsistent. His only win came on April 9 and the Brewers are 2-5 in his starts.
Ross was saddled with the defeat in his last outing, giving up three runs in five innings in a 6-4 loss at Kansas City.
Ross is 1-2 with a 2.19 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates, including a 4-2 road loss on April 22, allowing two runs (one earned) in 5 1/3 innings.
Brewers catcher William Contreras continued his torrid hitting with three singles, extending his on-base streak to a career-high 21 games. Contreras is hitting .354 over that span with eight doubles, a homer, 10 RBIs and 20 runs.
Bauers also has been hot, hitting .361 with three homers and 13 RBIs over his last 13 games.
Priester, who began the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, has had little support as the Pirates have not scored a run in his four starts while he has been in the game.
In his last start, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed five runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings in last Tuesday’s 9-0 home loss to the Angels. He has a 2.70 ERA over his last three starts.
In 37 career games at American Family Field, Reynolds is hitting .352 with five homers, 10 doubles and 17 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
