Series Preview Arizona Diamondbacks (2-1) Vs. Milwaukee Brewers (1-2)

Probable Starters

Friday April 5th 7:10pm

Game 1

Wade Miley (0-0 – ERA) Vs. Kyle Lohse (0-0 – ERA)

Saturday April 6th 6:10pm

Game 2

Patrick Corbin (0-0 – ERA) Vs. Mike Fiers (0-0 – ERA)

Sunday April 7th 1:10pm

Game 3

Ian Kennedy (1-0 2.57 ERA) Vs. Yovani Gallardo (0-0 5.40 ERA)

The Arizona Diamondbacks come into Milwaukee for a three game series. Milwaukee faced some tough losses against the Colorado Rockies in the first series of the season. Meanwhile the Diamondbacks are heading out of the desert, where they took 2 of 3 from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Both teams are coming off a series where their bullpen pitchers saw a lot of action. None of Milwaukee’s starters made it through six innings, and they opened the year with an extra inning win against the Rockies. Meanwhile the last game Arizona played lasted 16 innings against the Cardinals. Good for them both, there is an off day separating the series. Bad news, Wade Miley and Kyle Lohse could both have short leashes.

Lohse was signed very late into spring training and only squeezed in one start. He will probably be on a very tight pitch count in his first start. Miley on the other hand suffered from dead arm in spring training and had to be shut down for a small period of time.

Milwaukee stands to gain some ground in this series. If Miley’s dead arm continues into the season, Lohse should easily out match him in game one. Corbin had a strong spring, but still had an ERA well over 4 in 2012. In his one game against Arizona, Mike Fiers went 6 innings and allowed zero runs while striking out ten. Also, Milwaukee tends to feast on left handed pitching, continuing to tilt the scales in favor of Fiers.

The best chance to win for Milwaukee? Yovani Gallardo against Ian Kennedy. Although Kennedy is Arizona’s staff ace he is just .500 against the Brewers with a 3.03 ERA. That’s very good, but Yovani is even better against the Diamondbacks. In seven games started Yo is 6-0 with a 1.02 ERA. He has been nearly untouchable against Arizona since he entered the league and gives Milwaukee the advantage in what could be a great pitching duel in the third game of this series.

Overall I predict the Brewers to come out 2-1. I think Miley Vs. Lohse is a tossup, but the matchups over the series goes in Milwaukee’s favor. Milwaukee should head into Chicago with a record at .500. The biggest win for the Brewers would be if Axford could squeeze in a couple of saves before they leave town.

-Brad