(Sports Network) - Right-hander Mike Fiers makes his fourth attempt at a 10th
victory Sunday when the Milwaukee Brewers close out a three-game series with
the visiting Houston Astros at Miller Park.
The 27-year-old, a native of Hollywood, Fla., got to 9-7 on the season with a
6-3 defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 8 in St. Louis, but has since
gone 0-2 in three appearances while watching his earned run average swell from
3.05 to 3.55.
He was beaten, 4-2, by the Cincinnati Reds in his most recent mound outing,
allowing nine hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings while walking two batters
and striking out eight.
The product of Nova Southeastern University has made one career start against
the Astros and emerged a 13-4 winner aftr allowing two runs on eight hits in
six innings in Milwaukee on Aug. 1.
The Brewers are 11-11 in the games he's pitched in 2012.
He's opposed by 21-year-old righty Jordan Lyles, who faces the Brewers for the
sixth time in his 45th big-league appearance.
The last two meetings came in August - first against Fiers in the
aforementioned Aug. 1 game in Milwaukee and ended for Lyles after five innings
in which he allowed nine runs on nine hits.
He started against Milwaukee against on Aug. 12 and dropped a 5-3 verdict
after this time allowing two earned runs on eight hits in seven innings.
Houston is 3-7 in his last 10 starts and 5-19 in games he's pitched in 2012.
On Saturday, Marco Estrada tossed eight scoreless innings, Corey Hart homered
twice and the Brewers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 9-5 win.
Milwaukee's win, coupled with the St. Louis Cardinals' extra-inning loss to
the Washington Nationals, has the Brewers four games off the pace for the
National League's final wild card spot. Both teams have four games remaining.
Estrada (5-7) struck out 11, issued just one walk and scattered four hits to
earn the victory. Livan Hernandez allowed three ninth-inning homers before
Jose Veras recorded the game's final out.
Aramis Ramirez and Norichika Aoki both had three hits, two RBI and two runs
scored for the Brewers, who dropped a 7-6 decision to the Astros in Friday's
series opener.
Dallas Keuchel (3-8) allowed seven runs on eight hits over just 2 1/3 innings
to take the loss on Saturday. The rookie left-hander walked one and struck out
two.
"It's kind of disappointing to end my year on this note, but it's my own
fault," said Keuchel.
Fernando Martinez and Brian Bogusevic both belted two-run homers for Houston
in the ninth and Tyler Greene added a solo blast.
The Brewers won eight of the initial 14 games between the teams in 2012,
though Houston won two of three in a home series from Aug. 10-12.
The Sports Network