MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 2 (0-1) of a 10-game road trip to Arizona (0-1), San Diego (4g) and Seattle (3g)…..following this trip and an off day on April 20, the team returns to American Family Field for a 9-game homestand against Boston (3g), Detroit (3g) and Los Angeles-AL (3g).
IN THE STANDINGS (12 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 10, SECOND: 0, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in first place, leading the second-place Pirates by 1.0 game.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 3-0-0 in series play.
Game 1: 2-2, Game 2: 2-1, Game 3: 3-0, Game 4: 0-0
Sweep Wins (1): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5)
Sweep Losses (-): None
AT HOME: The Brewers are 5-1 at home, going 2-0-0 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 2-2 on the road, going 1-0-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
MANAGER: Craig Counsell – the longest-tenured active manager in the National League and third in the majors – is in his ninth season as Brewers manager (622-558) and eighth full season…..he has the most wins of any manager in franchise history and is tied with Phil Garner (1,180) for the most games managed in franchise history….. Counsell was named the 19th manager in franchise history on 5/4/15, replacing Ron Roenicke…..he is signed through the 2023 season.
2022 IN REVIEW: The Brewers went 86-76 last season, missing the postseason for the first time since 2017…..the team was eliminated from NL Central contention on September 27 and eliminated from postseason contention on October 3, snapping their franchise-record four consecutive years of making the playoffs…..the team won at least 86 games for the fifth consecutive full season (since 2017), joining the Dodgers (since 2012), Astros (since 2017) and Yankees (since 2017) as the only teams to accomplish the feat during this stretch (does not include 2020).
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made one replay challenge this season, going 0-1…..the challenge came on Opening Day at Chicago-NL as a safe call at first base (Dansby Swanson) on a pickoff attempt stood.
BREWERS vs. DIAMONDBACKS
SUMMARY: Are 88-79 all-time, including 0-1 this season…..went 3-4 last season.
at MIL: Are 44-37, going 40-29
at American Family Field and 4-8
at County Stadium…..went 2-1 last season…..the Brewers are 13-2 over their last 15 games at home against the Diamondbacks.
at ARI: Are 44-42 all-time at Chase Field, including 0-1 this season….. went 1-3 last season
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #39 – RHP CORBIN BURNES (2gs, 0-1, 9.64)
BURNES AT A GLANCE: Corbin Burnes, 28, is making his third start of the season…..Burnes last started last Wednesday vs. New York-NL and received no decision in the Brewers’ 7-6 win (4.1ip, 7h, 6r, 6er, 2bb, 3k, 2hr, 1hbp, 93 pitches)…..his other start came in a 4-0 loss on Opening Day at Chicago-NL (5ip, 4h, 4r, 4er, 3bb, 3k, 1hbp, 87 pitches)…..Burnes was selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Mary’s (CA) College…..he is under club control through 2024.
LAST SEASON: Burnes went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 33 starts last season, finishing seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting after winning the award in 2021…..Burnes was an All-Star for the second straight season and was named Brewers Most Valuable Pitcher for the second year in a row…..his career-high 243 strikeouts led the National League and ranked second in the majors behind the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole (257)…..he became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead his league in strikeouts…..he also ranked among the NL top five in starts (T1st, 33), AVG (2nd, .197), K/9IP (2nd, 10.83), H/9IP (2nd, 6.42), innings pitched (4th, 202.0), K/BB (4th, 4.76), quality starts (T4th, 21) and WHIP (5th, 0.97)…..the team went 20-13 in his starts.
CY BURNES: Burnes won the 2021 National League Cy Young Award after going 11-5 with a Major League-best 2.43 ERA in 28 starts…..he became the third pitcher in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award, joining Rollie Fingers (1981) and Pete Vuckovich (1982)…..he became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead his league in ERA.
CAREER: Is 35-20 with a 3.33 ERA in 137 games/76 starts (525ip, 194er)…..is in his sixth Major League season, all with the Brewers (2018-23)…..is 27-17 with a 3.07 ERA as a starter (443ip, 151er) and 8-3 with a 4.72 ERA in relief (82ip, 43er)…..Burnes is a two-time All-Star (2021-22) and was a 2021 All-MLB First Team selection.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 17-12 with a 3.61 ERA in 67 games/40 starts (277ip, 111er)…..is 0-0 with a 12.46 ERA in 1 start this season (4.1ip, 6er)…..went 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA in 18 starts last season (109.2ip, 37er)…..CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 18-8 with a 3.01 ERA in 70 games/36 starts (248ip, 83er)…..is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in 1 start this season (5ip, 4er)…..went 5-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 15 starts last season (92.1ip, 29er).
CAREER vs. DIAMONDBACKS: Is 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA in 3 starts (15.2ip, 5er), including 0-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 2 starts last season (8.2ip, 5er).
ARIZONA DIAONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs have won 4 consecutive games and are 4-1 in their opening homestand of the 2023 season vs. Dodgers (3-1) and Brewers (1-0).
♦ The team’s 7-4 record is Arizona’s best start to a season in the fi rst 11 games since 2018 (8-3).
♦ The D-backs’ 7 wins are currently tied for the second most in the Majors (also: Brewers, Guardians and Braves), behind only the Rays (10).
♦ Josh Rojas, since April 4, leads the Majors with his .550 (11-for-20) average, ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr./TOR (.519), Victor Robles/WSH (.500), Luis Arraez/MIA (.467) and Matt Chapman/TOR (.440).
♦ Merrill Kelly is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA (2 ER in 21.0 IP) in 3 career starts vs. Brewers @ Chase Field.
ROSTER MOVES
♦ The D-backs made the following roster moves:
Activated RHP José Ruiz.
Placed RHP Scott McGough on the Paternity List.
LONE LEADER
♦ Arizona is the lone leader of the NL West (+1.0) for the fi rst time since August 31, 2018: 8/31/18 STANDINGS W-L PCT GB
D-backs …………. 74-61 …..548 …………….—
Dodgers ………………. 73-62 …….541 ……………….1.0
Rockies ………………… 72-62 ….. .537 ……………….1.5
Giants ………………….. 68-68 …….500 ……………….6.5
Padres ………………….. 54-83 …….394 ……………. 21.0
GETTING STREAKY
♦ The last time the D-backs collected 4+ consecutive wins was Aug. 26-30, 2022 (5 straight).
♦ In 2022, Arizona had 2 streaks of 4+ consecutive wins (also: May 2-6, 2022; 4 wins).
♦ In 2017, the D-backs set the franchise record with 13 consecutive wins from Aug. 24-Sept. 6.
ZEROED
♦ Last night’s 3-0 shutout marked the D-backs’ first of the season and the third shutout vs. Brewers since 2017 (also: May 25, 2017 and Sept. 1, 2022).
FOR THE TAKING
♦ The D-backs 62 pct. extra bases taken percentage leads the Majors, ahead of the Royals (61 pct.), Braves (60 pct.) and Rays (58 pct.).
Percentage runner advanced more than 1 base on single or 2+ bases on a double.
SWIPIN’ BAGS
♦ The D-backs’ 17 stolen bases rank second in the Majors, behind only the Guardians (19).
♦ Corbin Carroll leads all MLB rookies in stolen bases and is just 1 of 2 players in the Majors this season to have 2+ stolen bases in multiple games (2 games – also: Jorge Mateo/BAL).
HE’S BACKKKKKKKKKKK
♦ Last night, Zac Gallen marked his 6th 10+-strikeout performance with the D-backs, tying Ian Kennedy (2010-12) for seventh most in franchise history…he is 1 shy of tying Zack Greinke (2016-19) and Dan Haren (2008-10) and still trails Randy Johnson (106), Curt Schilling (38), Robby Ray (23), Brandon Webb (12) and Patrick Corbin (10).
RUN AT YOUR OWN RISK
♦ Gabriel Moreno is 3-for-3 in caught stealings (CS) this season…he is just 1 of 2 catchers with a perfect caught stealing pct. with 2+ CS (also: Yan Gomes/CHC; 2-for-2).
♦ Moreno’s 1.91 seconds pop time to second base (min. 3 SBA) currently ranks third in the Majors, behind J.T. Realmuto/PHI (1.84) and Martín Maldonado/HOU (1.90).
RHP MERRILL KELLY ♦ #29
AT A GLANCE: In his fi fth season with the D-backs.
• Played 5 seasons in the Rays’ system (2010-14) then 4 seasons (2015-18) with the SK Wyverns in the KBO League.
• Rays’ eighth-round pick in the 2010 draft.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is making his 100th career start with the D-backs, which is the 9th most all-time among D-backs starters.
• 502 career strikeouts with the D-backs ranks 8th all-time among starters in franchise history, behind Randy Johnson (2,077), Brandon Webb 1,065), Robbie Ray (998), Patrick Corbin (897), Curt Schilling (875), Zack Greinke (683) and Dan Haren (570).
LAST START: Made his second start of the season on April 6 vs. Dodgers (L; 4 ER in 5.2 IP).
VS. BREWERS: Is 2-1 with a 3.13 ERA (13 ER in 37.1 IP) in 6 career starts.
• Is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA (2 ER in 21.0 IP) with only 1 walk allowed in 3 career starts vs. Brewers @ Chase Field.
TEAM USA: Selected to pitch for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic…marked the fi rst time he was selected to participate with a USA national team at any level.
• Made the start for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in the fi nal Pool C matchup vs. Colombia on March 15 @ Chase Field) and Championship game vs. Japan on March 21 @ Marlins Park.
ARIZONA KID: Grew up in Scottsdale, Ariz., and attended Desert Mountain High School, Yavapai College and Arizona State University…attended Arizona State University (2010) and helped the Sun Devils reach the College World Series in 2010…went to Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz. (2008-09) and went 15-1 in 2 seasons.
2022 RECAP: Went 13-8 with a 3.37 ERA (75 ER in 200.1 IP).
• Set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts (177).
• Had the third-most pickoff s (4) in the Majors behind Robbie Ray/SEA (6) and Taijuan Walker/NYM (5).
