Mets at Brewers
Ryan Braun was having a season to forget as recently as a few days ago, but the former National League MVP has turned back the clock a bit as the Milwaukee Brewers reach the end of their seven-game homestand. Coming off on a career-high six-hit performance, the six-time All-Star will try to remain sharp at the plate for the Brewers on Sunday as they try to complete a three-game sweep of the New York Mets.
Braun saw his batting average dip to .194 following Wednesday's loss to Colorado but has lifted it to .263 over his last three games, going 11-for-16 with two homers and six RBIs in that span. The highlight of that stretch came in Saturday's 18-inning marathon, as he finished 6-for-8 with two doubles and answered the Mets' run in the top of the 18th with a walk-off, two-run single in the bottom half that sent Milwaukee to a 4-3 win in the longest game - by innings - in the 19-year history of Miller Park. Two of the NL's three worst pitching staffs in terms of ERA as each burned through eight arms in the 5-hour, 22-minute extravaganza, which gave the Brewers their 10th win in 11 home games versus the Mets. New York's three runs on Saturday were one more than it scored in the first three games of the month, continuing a 17-game stretch during which it is averaging 3.3 runs.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), WYTU (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jason Vargas (1-1, 5.75 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (3-0, 1.38)
Vargas has yet to last six innings in any of his five starts but has held his own over his last three turns since a forgettable outing in Atlanta on April 13 in which he allowed four runs in one-third of an inning. The Long Beach State product was solid in a no-decision on Tuesday, holding Cincinnati to one run on three hits and three walks over a season-high 5 1/3 frames. Braun is 0-for-4 with a walk versus Vargas, who is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two career starts against Milwaukee.
Davies did not allow an earned run for the third time in six trips to the mound en route to a victory on Tuesday against Colorado, limiting the Rockies to one unearned run in 5 1/3 frames. The 26-year-old Arizona native has only one quality start to his name so far, but his 1.38 ERA through six games is the second-lowest ever by a Brewer through six turns (1.12; Ricky Bones, 1994). Todd Frazier is 3-for-5 with two homers against Davies, who is 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in six starts versus New York.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Brewers failed to hit a home run for the first time in 20 home contests on Saturday, falling two games shy of tying the major-league record for the longest such streak to begin a season.
2. New York 2B Robinson Cano is 0-for-10 with three strikeouts in this series, leaving the eight-time All-Star one hit shy of 2,500 for his career.
3. Milwaukee OF Christian Yelich lined out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning - his first game action since injuring his back in last Sunday's series finale against the Mets.