Phillies at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers have struggled to regain their footing after outscoring the Philadelphia Phillies by a 26-13 margin to win three of four in the series last week. The Brewers bid to get back on track Friday when they open a three-game series versus the visiting Phillies, who rebounded from their troubles against Milwaukee to win five of seven contests.
Yasmani Grandal belted a two-run homer to help Milwaukee overcome a five-run deficit in Wednesday's 11-8 win over Cincinnati and went deep twice among his four hits in the previous series against Philadelphia. Reigning National League Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich ravaged the Phillies with a pair of blasts in an 11-3 romp on May 16, but a balky back limited him to just a cameo appearance in the Cincinnati series. The Brewers find themselves trailing the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs, who surrendered the first seven runs on Thursday before dropping a 9-7 decision to Philadelphia. Jean Segura, who is riding a 14-game hitting streak, launched a two-run homer versus the Cubs and went deep on two occasions in the previous series with Milwaukee.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (2-2, 3.23 ERA), vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (2-0, 2.66)
Eickhoff has answered three sterling starts with two disastrous ones, as he followed up a five-run, eight-hit effort against Milwaukee in which he surrendered two homers by being taken deep three times versus Colorado on Sunday. Prior to the power surge, the 28-year-old had not allowed a homer in his previous five outings (30 innings). Eickhoff received positive results outside of the long balls in his last trip to the mound, tossing first-pitch strikes to 13 of 22 batters and generating 15 swinging strikes.
Anderson returned from a lacerated right middle finger and allowed one run on two hits in four innings of a no-decision on Saturday. The 31-year-old elevated his pitch count with four walks and has issued nine free passes in his last three after permitting four walks in his previous five trips to the mound (10 innings). Maikel Franco (5-for-10, three homers), Odubel Herrera (5-for-12) and Segura (4-for-12) have flustered Anderson, who sports a 1-3 mark with a 6.75 ERA in five career starts versus the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia OF Andrew McCutchen is 9-for-20 with a homer, seven RBIs and four runs scored during his five-game hitting streak.
2. Brewers 2B Mike Moustakas went 5-for-14 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored in the previous series versus the Phillies.
3. Philadelphia RF Bryce Harper, who has four hits in the last two games, went 2-for-10 with four strikeouts in the previous set against Milwaukee.