Giants at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers limped into the All-Star break with an 8-15 slide, although it didn't have much impact on their positioning in the tightly packed National League Central. The second-place Brewers will try to start the second half of the season on a good note when they begin a three-game series with the visiting San Francisco Giants on Friday.
"I don’t think we've played our best baseball by any means," All-Star right fielder Christian Yelich told reporters over the break. "But we've put ourselves in solid position when we start the second half to put ourselves in the playoffs and make a run. That's all you can ask for." Yelich is eyeing a second straight NL Most Valuable Player award and has done most of his damage at home, batting .373 with 21 homers at Miller Park. He'll try to improve upon those numbers against rookie Shaun Anderson, who starts the series opener for the Giants opposite Chase Anderson for the hosts. San Francisco figures to be in a sell mode as the trade deadline approaches, but it did win six of seven entering the break to get within 5 1/2 games of a wild-card spot in the NL.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Shaun Anderson (3-2, 4.23 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (4-2, 4.32)
Shaun Anderson last pitched July 3, allowing four runs and eight hits over four innings at San Diego. He let up three runs or fewer in each of his previous six starts while going 3-1. The 24-year-old, who is facing the Brewers for the first time, is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in five road starts.
Chase Anderson has failed to finish six innings in each of his last five starts, but he is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA over his last three. He is 3-2 with a 4.91 mark in eight career starts against the Giants. Catcher Buster Posey is 6-for-16 with a pair of doubles and a walk against Chase Anderson.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants 3B Evan Longoria hit five home runs in the final six games before the break.
2. Brewers 1B Jesus Aguilar slugged three homers and drove in six runs in just 10 at-bats over the three games prior to the break.
3. San Francisco took two of three from Milwaukee at home earlier this season but the Brewers have won five of the past six meetings in Miller Park.