Control hasn’t been Liriano’s friend all season, but he managed to find it tonight, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing three runs – two of which were earned – on four hits.
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“I threw all of my pitches – I tried not to do too much, and (to) execute pitches, take it one pitch at a time, one hitter at a time”, Liriano said. “He’s very good at it getting swings out of the strike zone; he always has been. If it breaks left two inches, he jams himself and pops it up”.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Francisco Liriano delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh, Thursday, July 21, 2016.
-P- Matt Joyce was a late addition to the lineup (Starling Marte was pulled with the flu), and he helped the Bucs immediately with a line-drive, three-run homer over the Clemente Wall after Matt Garza walked Gregory Polanco and Andrew McCutchen in the first.
Liriano breezed through the first six innings, giving up only Jonathan Villar’s solo homer in the third. Ryan Braun, Jonathan Villar, and Hernan Perez each had two hits for Milwaukee.
“He’s kind of like a fireman, he’s ready to go”, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.
Gerrit Cole looks to get back on track tomorrow night after a rough first start after returning from the DL, and what better team to do it against than the Phillies?
Liriano struck out the side in the sixth before the Brewers put up a pair of runs to chase him in the seventh.
Matt Joyce smacked a three-run homer in the first inning off Matt Garza (1-4) and later added an RBI groundout.
CL Mark Melancon pitched a ideal ninth to earn his 28th save of the season.
“When they ring the bell, you’ve got to go”, Joyce said.
Joyce did his best to cram for Garza – a former teammate when both played in Tampa Bay – but felt a bit rushed heading into the on-deck circle with two on and one out in the first. For example, if a fan purchases two tickets for the game on Saturday, August 27 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the fees associated with those tickets would be covered by the Brewers. McCutchen went 2-for-3 to snap out of a 1-for-16 funk.
Just like that, it was 3-0, and the tone was set as Liriano outpitched Garza in a matchup of one-time aces stuck in not-going-well seasons.
“It’s there. I’ve seen it”.
Brewers: Pitching prospect Adrian Houser underwent Tommy John surgery on his right arm Thursday and will miss at least the next 12 months. “I know what I’ve got to do”.
The 23-year-old, acquired as part of a deal with Houston that sent Mike Fiers and Carlos Gomez to the Astros, appeared in two games last September for the Brewers and was 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA in 13 starts for Class AA Biloxi this season.
The Brewers start a 10-game homestand Friday night with the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.
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“We’re battling”, said Gennett, who was 0 for 4.
