2014-08-25 Brewers (Lohse) at Padres (Stults), 9:10 PM CDT [Brewers win, 10-1; Gómez/Braun/A-Ram w/3 hits each]

[TooLiveBrew]

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 25 | 9:10 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (72-58) | Padres (60-69)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/padres.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/IH4fted.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/g9Rir5N.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Kyle Lohse[/pitcher][h2]11-7, 3.49 ERA, 1.18 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Padres | Game Log[/h3][h3]Lohse skipped his last turn through the rotation due to a sore ankle that was hampering his mechanics, especially in his last three-inning outing. He threw a full bullpen session Friday and said he felt ready to go.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Eric Stults[/pitcher][h2]6-13, 4.53 ERA, 1.36 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Stults will attempt to remain undefeated in August, as he's 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in four starts this month heading into this start against the Brewers. He has a 3.18 ERA in his last 11 starts, seven on the road.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away]

1. Carlos Gómez CF
   
2. Jonathan Lucroy 1B
   
3. Ryan Braun RF
   
4. Aramis Ramírez 3B
   
5. Khris Davis LF
   
6. Rickie Weeks 2B
   
7. Martín Maldonado C
   
8. Jean Segura SS
   
9. Kyle Lohse RHP

[/divclass][divclass=home]

1. Yangervis Solarte 2B
   
2. Will Venable RF
   
3. Seth Smith LF
   
4. Yasmani Grandal C
   
5. Jake Goebbert 1B
   
6. Cameron Maybin CF
   
7. Alexi Amarista SS
   
8. Chris Nelson 3B
   
9. Eric Stults LHP

[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

[TooLiveBrew]

Lohse, Crew open nine-game road trip in San Diego

Padres counter with Stults against the National League Central leaders

By Matthew DeFranks / MLB.com | 8/24/2014 6:26 PM ET

 

Both the Brewers and Padres will welcome a change of scenery.

 

The Padres are coming off a rough road trip to St. Louis, Los Angeles and Arizona, while the Brewers closed a disappointing 2-3 homestand with a finale win over the Pirates on Sunday. San Diego and Milwaukee open a three-game set Monday that will kick off a 10-game homestand for the Padres and a nine-game road trip for the Brewers.

 

The Brewers are nine games above .500 on the road this season and just five games above .500 at home.

 

"What am I going to do differently?" Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "If one year, we play well on the road, and the next year we do the same things and we play poorly, why would I be concerned about it? If I spent all my time on stuff that I can't do anything about, it's wasted time."

 

The Brewers will look to Kyle Lohse to begin the first of their two remaining road trips. Lohse will be making his first start since Aug. 13 after missing his last turn with a sore right ankle. He left after three innings on Aug. 13, giving up four runs on seven hits in taking the loss against the Cubs.

 

Since winning back-to-back starts in late July, Lohse has struggled to find a rhythm in his last four starts, recording a 6.63 ERA and an 0-3 record. He has given up five home runs in that span and walked nine batters in 19 innings.

 

Eric Stults hopes to continue his resurgent second half as he gets the call for the Padres. Stults held the Dodgers to one run over five innings his last time out.

 

Stults has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his four August starts, during which he's 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA. On a wider view, he's 4-5 over his last 11 starts with a 3.18 ERA, with seven of those starts coming away from pitcher-friendly Petco Park.

 

"The last few years he's learned how to feed off our hitters' aggressiveness," said Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis, who was a teammate of Stults coming through Los Angeles' Minor League system. "He never gives in. He's not afraid to throw any pitch in any count.

 

"I'm impressed with the way he controls his tempo. He used to be maximum effort every pitch. Now he's free and easy, so he can reach back when he wants to throw a fastball. He's pitching with a lot of confidence."

 

After his early-season struggles -- Stults was 2-8 with a 5.79 ERA in his first 14 starts and in jeopardy of losing his spot in the rotation -- he huddled with pitching coach Darren Balsley to work on mechanics. They tweaked his delivery in the windup and used a higher leg kick to create momentum. He picked up a tick of velocity. His secondary pitches became sharper. He started allowing fewer home runs and his command improved.

 

"Things are starting to turn his way," said Padres manager Bud Black.

 

Brewers: Crew still in first place

With Sunday's win and St. Louis' loss, Milwaukee extended its small lead to 1 1/2 games in the National League Central. The Brewers have been in first place since April 5.

 

Does Roenicke think this has been good for his club?

 

"Depends on your team," Roenicke said. "I think we're a confident group, I think we get over losses, but it's not a team that's going to run away. We have other teams in this division we know are good teams."

 

The Brewers face the Cardinals six more times this season, next when they host St. Louis on Sept. 4.

 

"I think it's tough," Roenicke said. "I think it's got its pluses, no doubt because of the confidence that it gives guys, because when we're playing good ball, we know where we can be. The negatives are, you do have teams that are after you. You're always being chased by somebody."

 

Padres: Still no Cabby

Shortstop Everth Cabrera, on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain since Aug. 10, has been working out with the team since Thursday. But don't look for him on the active roster anytime soon, Black said.

 

"Probably not until Sept. 1," Black said Sunday.

 

Cabrera is on the DL for the second time this season with a left hamstring injury. This one is comparable in terms of severity to the one that caused him to miss 21 games in July, though the strain is in a different spot.

 

The Padres have used Alexi Amarista at shortstop in Cabrera's place and occasionally Yangervis Solarte, and they will continue to do so until Cabrera returns to the active roster.

 

Worth noting

 

• The Brewers are 52-7 when outhitting their opponent, the best mark in the Majors.

[pacopete4]

The Brewers are 52-7 when outhitting their opponent, the best mark in the Majors.

 

Probably because when they hit, they sure do hit. But when they are cold, I might as well turn off the TV. No happy medium with these guys.

[sdcheezhd]

I have good seats tonight but unfortunately by the Pads dugout this time. Anyone else going?

[AZBrewCrew]

I was planning on making the trip out this week but overtime shifts got in the way unfortunately

[Bombers]

I really hope Scooter proves RRR wrong and start hitting lefties. I just feel he is the fire starter of this offense. He always seems to be involved with runs. Base hits, moving runners, scoring runs

 

It's not like Weeks has been bad vs lefties, I am just a fan of Scooters game.

[LMMCBrewer]

So it looks like the Padres pitcher is someone we have not faced much. Someone tell me why I should not be concerned about this.

[nate82]

So it looks like the Padres pitcher is someone we have not faced much. Someone tell me why I should not be concerned about this.

 

You shouldn't be concerned if you are expecting a perfect game by this pitcher.

[3and2Fastball]

Ryan Braun returning to San Diego and facing a LHP is a good thing....

 

Hopefully he brings on another "Robo-Braun" performance in San Diego again! (5 HR's in 18 games at Petco and a .818 SLG in San Francisco! Hopefully this is a good road trip for him)

 

Braun is a career .340 hitter/.641 SLG% vs LHP

 

I'm going to go right ahead a predict a huge game for Braun tonight

[Bombers]

Ryan Braun returning to San Diego and facing a LHP is a good thing....

 

Hopefully he brings on another "Robo-Braun" performance in San Diego again! (5 HR's in 18 games at Petco and a .818 SLG in San Francisco! Hopefully this is a good road trip for him)

 

Braun is a career .340 hitter/.641 SLG% vs LHP

 

I'm going to go right ahead a predict a huge game for Braun tonight

Good stat check 3and2 - I sure hope so!

[folly412]

So it looks like the Padres pitcher is someone we have not faced much. Someone tell me why I should not be concerned about this.

 

Below average starter who's strung together a couple decent starts? Just the thing that's made our lineup look like a clown convention. I'd almost rather face Kershaw.

[Bombers]

Cardinals beat the Pirates 3-2. Was really hoping for Pitt to open with a win.

[TGOTJ]

Wow, Braun could have gotten really hurt right there.

[folly412]

Adding to the ML lead in first inning offense. Average of .66 runs, actually a sizable margin over #2 LAA (.61) or NL #2 Colorado (.59). Here's to not trending down as the game progresses for a change.

[coolcool]

Almost had a panic attack when the FS pitch count thing said Jeffres instead of Lohse.

[chickinbrickin]

Funny seeing Josh Johnson in the dugout for the Padres. There's a guy who has fleeced millions from multiple MLB teams in the past few years.

[trwi7]

Lohse pitching like crap again.

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

davis putting on a defensive clinic. that's definitely how you read and play a ball off the wall.

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

well done lohse!

[TGOTJ]

Lohse's command is off. Hope the ankle is OK.

[chickinbrickin]

Lol, infield in called in the second inning of a 1 to 1 game.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Good play to cut down that run.

[afeter]

close play at the plate. we get the call --kranitz out to the mound. why why why

[DuWayne Steurer]

It's entirely possible by the end of next year or so, we may actually have an *understanding* of how this rule is supposed to work.

[chickinbrickin]

How hard is this? Should take 5 sec to get this call right... Jeeezz