Phillies at Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich made some history on Friday, but Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies came away with the win. Yelich will try to pull the Brewers even in the three-game series when they host the Phillies on Saturday.
Yelich, the reigning National League MVP, became the first player in the majors to reach 20 homers when he returned from a two-game absence due to a back injury and gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead with a solo homer in the third inning on Friday. Harper, whose sacrifice fly in the first put the first run on the board, tied the game with an RBI double in the fifth and the Phillies went onto take the series opener 6-4. The win brought Philadelphia to 3-2 on a seven-game road trip through the top two teams in the NL Central after it split a four-game set with the Chicago Cubs to begin the week. The Phillies, who stay in the NL Central by hosting St. Louis starting Tuesday, will send veteran right-hander Jake Arrieta to the mound on Saturday while the Brewers counter with righty Jhoulys Chacin.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RHP Jake Arrieta (4-4, 3.77 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jhoulys Chacin (3-5, 4.65)
Arrieta is winless in his last four starts despite holding the Cubs to one run and eight hits over six innings on Monday - an outing that ended without a decision. The former Cy Young Award winner completed six or fewer innings in each of his last six turns following a three-start stretch in April in which he completed seven innings each time out. Arrieta went up against Milwaukee at home on May 15 and was knocked around for five runs - four earned - on five hits and four walks in six frames to suffer a loss.
Chacin surrendered three or fewer runs in each of his last four starts but is 1-2 in that span while struggling to work deep into games. The 31-year-old Venezuela native lasted five innings at Atlanta in his last start on May 17 and was charged with three runs on eight hits and a walk to suffer the loss. Chacin last faced Philadelphia on June 8 last season and allowed four runs on five hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings to earn a win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yelich did not reach 20 homers until Aug. 20 last season before finishing with a career-best 36.
2. Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (forearm) was activated from the 10-day IL on Friday and struck out four in two scoreless innings of relief.
3. Milwaukee RHP Jimmy Nelson (shoulder surgery) was activated from the 10-day IL and optioned to Triple-A San Antonio.