MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
BREWERS vs. ROCKIES
SUMMARY: Are 82-87 all-time, including 0-1 this season…..went 4-3 last season.
at MIL: Are 50-34 all-time, including 3-1 last season…..have gone 41-29 at American Family Field and 9-5 at County Stadium…..the Brewers have won 6 of the last 7 games at AmFam.
at COL: Have gone 32-53 all-time at Coors Field, including 0-1 this season…..went 1-2 last season…..are 3-8 in the last 11 games in Denver
with 3 straight losses.
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 2 (0-1) of a 6-game trip to Colorado (0-1) and San Francisco (3g)…..the team returns to American Family Field following this trip for 6 games in 7 days against Los Angeles-NL (3g) and Kansas City (3g).
IN THE STANDINGS (34 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 22, SECOND: 10, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in second place, trailing the firstplace Pirates by 1.5 games…..the team has been in second place for 10 straight days.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 6-3-0 in series play. Game 1: 5-5, Game 2: 7-2, Game 3: 5-4, Game 4: 1-0 Sweep Wins (2): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19) Sweep Losses (-): None
AT HOME: The Brewers are 9-6 at home, going 3-2-0 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 9-5 on the road, going 3-1-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made four replay challenges this season, going 1-3…..their last challenge (lost) came on 4/28 vs. Los Angeles-AL as an out call at second base (Blake Perkins) stood.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #52 – LHP ERIC LAUER (5gs, 3-2, 5.19)
LAUER AT A GLANCE: Eric Lauer, 27, will be making his sixth start…..Lauer last started last Tuesday vs. Detroit and took a 4-3 loss (3ip, 8h, 4r, 4er, 2bb, 4k, 1hr, 85 pitches)….. he has 2 quality starts…..opponents are batting .287 (29-for-101, 6hr)…..Lauer was acquired from San Diego, along with INF Luis Urías and a player to be named or cash, in exchange for RHP Zach Davies and OF Trent Grisham on 11/27/19 (trade completed on 5/27/20 – cash).
LAST SEASON: Lauer went 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 29 starts last season…..the team went 17-12 in his starts…..he posted career highs in starts (29-tied), wins (11), innings pitched (158.2), strikeouts (157) and quality starts (13)…..he held opponents to a .228 batting average…..Lauer was on the 15-day injured list from 9/10-9/22 with left elbow inflammation…..he came back to end the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
CAREER: Is 35-33 with a 4.16 ERA in 115 games/108 starts (576ip, 266er)…..is in his sixth Major League season with San Diego (2018-19) and Milwaukee (2020-23)…..was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2019…..Lauer was selected by San Diego in the first round (25th overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Kent State University.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 11-9 with a 3.89 ERA in 30 games/29 starts (157.1ip, 68er)…..is 0-2 with a 12.86 ERA in 2 starts this season (7ip, 10er)…..went 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 13 starts last season (77.1ip, 22er)…..
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 17-16 with a 4.64 ERA in 58 games/53 starts (281ip, 145er)…..is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 3 starts this season (19ip, 5er)…..went 5-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts last season (81.1ip, 43er).
CAREER vs. ROCKIES: Is 1-5 with an 8.39 ERA in 11 starts (44ip, 41er), including 0-1 with a 14.14 ERA in 2 starts last season (7ip, 11er)…..is 0-5 with a 15.91 ERA in 6 career starts at Coors Field (18.2ip, 33er).
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
MID WEEK BASEBALL
• The Colorado Rockies continue their three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight after dropping two of three to Arizona to begin the homestand.
• The Rockies have won two games in a row for the fourth time this season … are looking to win three in a row for the first time since Oct. 2-4 of last season at Dodger Stadium, and three in a row at home for the first time since winning four straight Sept. 6-10, 2022 (also against Milwaukee and Arizona).
• A win today or tomorrow will give the Rockies their second series win of the season … concluded their previous road trip by taking two of three from Cleveland, their first series win of the season.
• Following tomorrow’s game, the Rockies will embark on a six-game road trip to New York-NL (Friday-Sunday) and Pittsburgh (May 8-10).
• Overall, the Rockies .333 winning percentage is tied for last in the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals and is tied for the second-lowest in franchise history through 30 games with the 1993 club, ahead of the 2005 Rockies (8-22, .267).
ZING BOOM TARARREL
• The Rockies are 4-1 in their last five matchups against the Brewers after snapping an eight-game losing streak against the club that spanned from June 19, 2021-July 24, 2022.
• Colorado is 8-3 against the Brewers at Coors Field since the start of 2019 and 53-32 overall at home against the club, outscoring the Brew Crew 553-427 (+126) across that span.
• OF Yonathan Daza is 18-for-50 (.360) in 14 career games against Milwaukee, hitting safely in 13 contests across that span … of his four career home runs, three have come against the Brewers (two at Coors Field and one at American Family Field).
APRIL SHOWERS
• Colorado finished the month of April with a 9-20 record, their first time in franchise history recording 20 losses in the month of April … have lost 20 games in a month six times in franchise history prior to April 2023: three times in May (1993, 22 games; 2011, 21 games; 2005, 20 games), once in June (2014, 20 games), once in July (2000, 22 games) and once in Sept. (2012, 20 games).
LITTLE TOE
• Ezequiel Tovar recorded his first home run of the season last night, his first career home run at Coors Field (second overall) … over his last eight games, Tovar has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with two doubles, one triple and one home run.
GRICH ITCH
• Randal Grichuk has gone 2-for-4 in each of his first three games of the season since being reinstated from the injured list on April 29, tied for the longest multi-hit streak of his career … underwent offseason surgery on a bilateral sports hernia, missing all of Spring Training.
• It is the seventh time in franchise history that a Rockies player has begun his season with three-straight multi-hit games, the first time since Mark Reynolds did so April 3-5, 2017 … only two players in franchise history have begun their season with multiple hits in at least four straight: Larry Walker (four straight, April 2-6, 2001) and DJ LeMahieu (five straight, June 4-9, 2016).
CHUCK (STILL) NAZTY
• With his one run scored on Sunday, Charlie Blackmon broke his tie with Larry Walker for second on the all-time Rockies runs scored list at 893 … Todd Helton ranks first in Rockies history with 1401.
• Blackmon’s 293 career doubles are four short of tying Walker for the second-most in franchise history.
• Blackmon’s home run in the first inning on April 25 at Cleveland was his 40th career lead-off home run … his 40 lead-off home runs rank ninth all-time (Brady Anderson’s 44 rank eighth).
SPRING CLEANING
• Colorado is tied with Oakland and San Francisco for the most errors in baseball (21) and hold the third-lowest fielding percentage (.981) … have also allowed 20 unearned runs through its first 30 games, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the most in baseball.
BIRD BATH
• Jake Bird ranks second in the Majors with 21.1 relief innings pitched (first in the NL) and is tied for fourth among relievers with 22 strikeouts (second in the NL) … has posted a 0.57 ERA (15.2 IP, 1 ER) with four walks and 18 strikeouts over his last nine appearances since April 11 … career-high 13.0 innings without an earned run snapped on Sunday.
• Bird has spun more than one inning eight times this season, tied for the third-most in the Majors … teammate Brent Suter’s nine outings of one-plus inning of relief is tied for the most in the Majors
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #21 KYLE FREELAND LHP
DENVER KID
• Kyle Freeland will make his seventh start of the season tonight, his fifth at Coors Field.
• The 29-year-old Denver native graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, 15 minutes south of Coors Field … selected in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (eighth overall), the third player in University of Evansville history to be drafted in the first round.
• The Rockies announced on April 19, 2022 that they agreed to a five-year contract extension with Freeland covering the 2022-26 seasons … the extension includes two arbitration years and three years of free agency.
SKID
• Has lost each of his last three starts, with the Rockies losing each of his last four outings, after beginning the season 2-0 through his first two starts … posted an 8.59 ERA (14.2 IP, 14 ER) over the losing streak.
• Suffered the loss his last time out despite logging his fourth quality start of the season … allowed three runs on five hits across six innings pitched … entered the seventh inning with one run allowed but departed the game after allowing a walk and a double to begin the inning.
• Has allowed seven total home runs over his last four starts after allowing no home runs (and no runs total) over his first two starts of the season … eight of his 16 runs allowed have come via home run.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
• Began his season with two scoreless outings, the first pitcher in franchise history to toss at least six scoreless innings in each of his first two appearances of the season … allowed his first run of the season in the first inning of his third start, ending a 13.0 inning scoreless streak to begin the season, tied with Jason Jennings (2001) for the second-longest streak to begin a season in franchise history, behind Jhoulys Chacín (14.1 IP, 2010).
• His 0.96 ERA through his first three starts of the season was the lowest in the National league and the lowest in franchise history through a starting pitcher’s first three starts of the season.
HOPE OPENER x3:
• With his start on April 6, Freeland became the franchise leader for starts in a Home Opener with three (also: 2017 and 2022 both vs. Los Angeles-NL) … tossed 6.2 shutout innings against the Nationals, allowing four hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
• Started Opening Day at Coors Field in 2022, April 8 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers … made his Major League debut in the Rockies’ Home Opener in
2017, April 7 vs. the Dodgers … allowed one run across six innings in the 2-1 win.
THE HIGH LIFE
• Has posted a 2.35 ERA (31.0 IP, 8 ER) in five career starts against the Brewers, going 3-2 … has pitched at least five innings in all five starts, six innings in four of five, and seven innings once. • 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA (18.0 IP, 3 ER) with 10 hits allowed, 10 walks and 21 strikeouts in three starts against the Brewers at Coors Field.
• Faced the Brewers twice in 2022, winning both while allowing just one run across 13 innings … tossed six innings and allowed one run on two hits in an 8-4 Rockies win at Coors Field on Sept. 7.
LAND OF THE FREE
• Appeared in two games for the USA in the World Baseball Classic, allowing two runs on three hits over 6.0 innings (3.00 ERA), striking out five and walking two.
• In the Championship Game vs. Japan, struck out WBC MVP Shohei Ohtani … Freeland’s 41 pitches in the game were the most by any pitcher who
appeared during the contest.
• In three Cactus League starts, went 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA (9.1 IP, 6 ER) with one walk and five strikeouts.
ROAD WARRIOR
• Has gone 5-6 with a 3.07 ERA (99.2 IP, 34 ER) in 17 starts on the road over the past two seasons, the ninth-lowest road ERA in the NL over that span.
• Posted a 2.18 road ERA (53.2 IP, 9 ER) in nine road starts since last year’s All-Star Break, the third-lowest road ERA in the Majors over that span (min. 40 IP).
HOMETOWN KID
• Has gone 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA (21.1 IP, 12 ER) in four starts at home this season … quality starts in each of his first two starts.
• Career record of 29-26 with a 4.78 ERA (434.2 IP, 231 ER) in 82 appearances (79 starts) at Coors Field … ERA seventh all-time at Coors Field among pitchers with at least 40 starts.
THE YEAR TWENTY THOUSAND AND TWENTY-TWO (2022)
• Finished the 2022 season posting a 4.53 ERA across 31 starts … of those 31 starts, 13 of them were quality, his most in a full season since logging 24 quality starts in 2018 … set career-highs in runs allowed (96), earned runs (88).
YOU’RE GROUNDED
• Since his debut in 2017, Freeland ranks second in the Majors and leads the National League with 105 GIDP (Kyle Gibson leads the Majors with 116).
FINISHED STRONG
• Has allowed three or fewer runs in 13 of his last 18 starts since July 25 of last season, compiling a 7-6 record with a 4.04 ERA (100.1 IP, 45 ER) … posted a 4.34 ERA (149.1 IP, 72 ER) in 26 starts since June 4.
• Spun five or more frames in 22 of his last 26 starts and six or more innings 17 times through this span (13 quality starts).
THE HOME RUN HIGHWAY
• His 19 home runs allowed in 2022 were his fewest since 2018 (17) … his 0.98 HR/9 was the 13th-lowest in the National League in 2022 … his lowest HR/9 rate since he posted a 0.76 clip in 2018.
THIS ‘N THAT
• Finished fourth in 2018 NL Cy Young Award voting going 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA (202.1 IP, 64 ER) … became the second pitcher in Rockies history to ever finish in the top five in Cy Young voting (also: Ubaldo Jiménez, third place in 2010).
• Pitched 8.1 no-hit innings on July 9, 2017 vs. Chicago-AL, the longest no-hit bid for a Rockies pitcher at Coors Field in franchise history.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEELS
• Making the 157th start of his career tonight, passing Jason Jennings for the fifth-most in franchise history.
• His 51 career wins rank ninth in franchise history, two behind Jon Gray and Pedro Astacio with 53 each.
• His 662 strikeouts are the seventh-most in franchise history … trails Jeff Francis in sixth with 742 strikeouts.
• Career 4.27 ERA ranks fourth all-time among Rockies starting pitchers (min. 75 starts) … 105 career opponent grounded into double plays are the third-most in franchise history.
