Deadspin | Astros nonetheless in search of well timed hitting in collection vs. Brewers

The visiting Houston Astros will likely be taking a look to transform their scoring alternatives once they face the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in the second one contest of the three-game collection.

Rookie Chad Patrick (1-3, 2.87 ERA) gets the beginning for the Brewers towards fellow right-hander Hayden Wesneski (1-2, 3.86).

Christian Yelich, who used to be taking part in in his 1,500th profession recreation, belted a two-run homer and Tobias Myers allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in Milwaukee’s 5-1 victory within the collection opener on Monday.

The Astros, who’ve misplaced 4 directly highway collection, had 9 hits within the opener, however stranded 8, together with the bases loaded within the 6th inning once they scored their handiest run to chop the result in 3-1.

“That sixth inning, we had an opportunity there to capitalize,” Astros supervisor Joe Espada mentioned. “We’ve just got to relax and let the game come to us. I think sometimes we tried hard, tried to get a big hit and come through for our team.”

“This offense is going to explode pretty soon,” he mentioned. “We’ve just got to stay positive.”

Wesneski, who cut up time between the bullpen and beginning rotation in 3 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, has been used completely as a starter with the Astros. For his profession, Wesneski is 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 5 appearances (one get started) as opposed to the Brewers, all as a Cub.

He took a hard-luck loss in his earlier get started, permitting two runs in 5 innings in a 2-0 defeat at Kansas City.

Shortstop Jeremy Pena prolonged his hitting streak to 9 video games with a leadoff unmarried within the first inning. Pena is hitting .368 with a homer, two doubles and 4 RBIs over that span.

The Astros positioned outfielder Yordan Alvarez at the 10-day injured record Monday with right-hand irritation and recalled catcher Cesar Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land. Alvarez, who hit .308 remaining season and has hit a minimum of 31 homers every of the remaining 4 seasons, is hitting simply .210 with 3 house runs.

Milwaukee has now not misplaced a sequence to Houston at house since September 2012. The Astros want to win the general two video games to take the collection, however have now not gained back-to-back video games in Milwaukee since 2006.

Patrick has misplaced his remaining 3 begins, permitting seven runs in 16 innings over that span. In his remaining trip, he allowed 3 runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, throwing a career-high 102 pitches, in an 8-0 loss on the Chicago White Sox.

“He was outstanding,” Brewers supervisor Pat Murphy mentioned later on. “I thought he helped us a bunch. Our bullpen was depleted today, obviously, and it was crucial that he went deep, and he did. Any adversity he had, he fought through. The line won’t look as good as he pitched. He pitched really well.”

Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick, who left Sunday’s recreation vs. the Cubs with a sore left knee, used to be out of the lineup Monday after an MRI confirmed swelling and irritation. He isn’t anticipated to move to the injured record.

–Field Level Media