Posted: Sep 13, 2021/03:36 PM MDTUpdated: Sep 13, 2021/03:36 PM MDT
The best road team in the major leagues can reach 50 victories away from home on Tuesday.
Milwaukee, which is running away with the National League Central Division, has a 49-24 road record entering its game at Detroit on Tuesday. The Brewers just swept a weekend series in Cleveland and will look to extend their overall winning streak to six games.
“There’s no great explanation for it,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve just played exceptionally well on the road. I think we’re a good baseball team. It’s just happened to line up really well on the road.”
It helps to have an overwhelming pitching staff. The Brewers have allowed just seven runs during their five-game streak.
“We have a chance to do some real special stuff,” starting pitcher Eric Lauer said. “Everybody can feel it.”
Milwaukee followed up the no-hit performance by Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader on Saturday by blasting five home runs in an 11-1 thumping of the Indians on Sunday. Kolten Wong and Avisail Garcia hit two homers apiece.
“We’ve got studs on the mound left and right, and then we’re hitting six, seven homers a game,” Lauer said. “It’s just unbelievable what we’re doing right now and the way guys are seeing the ball, the way guys are throwing the ball. Everything’s clicking, and I think it’s right at the right time.”
Right-hander Freddy Peralta (9-4, 2.69 ERA) will start on Tuesday. Peralta has been on an innings limit — he hasn’t gone more than 3 2/3 innings in any of his last three starts.
He’ll be making his first career appearance against the Tigers.
He’ll be opposed by another Peralta. The Tigers’ right-hander Wily Peralta (3-3, 3.60 ERA) gave up a run on six hits in four innings at Pittsburgh last Tuesday in his most recent start.
Peralta, who has pitched just one inning against the Brewers in his career, will be seeking his first victory since July 18.
The Tigers staged an unlikely comeback against Tampa Bay on Sunday. They trailed by three runs in the eighth and two runs in the 10th while pulling out an 8-7, 11-inning triumph. The winning run came home when Robbie Grossman drew a bases-loaded walk.
“His patience and knowledge of the strike zone paid off,” manager AJ Hinch said. “You can’t just turn it on and off when the game is on the line. It’s 400 or 500 plate appearances that he’s been refining his strike zone and knowing a ball from a strike, high from low. He’s really good at that box and when the game is on the line, he’s been working for that every single at-bat for it to pay off.”
The Tigers have won three of their last four games.
“There’s been a turning of the culture here and the way we play,” Grossman said. “Other teams see it. Every guy in our dugout was saying, ‘These guys aren’t better than us.’ It just comes down to the small things.”
The Brewers and Tigers split a two-games series in Milwaukee on May 31 and June 1.
–Field Level Media
