Game Thread #111: Milwaukee Brewers (62-48) @ Washington Nationals (50-61)

Brewers look for elusive series victory in rubber match

The Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals will decide their three-game series in an early game in Washington D.C. today. The Brewers have failed to win a series since winning four of their first five games out of the All-Star Break (two against the Twins and two of three against the Cubs), and are fortunate that the whole NL Central seems to be in a lull; they still hold a 5.5-game lead in the division.

They’ll look to secure that victory behind Tobias Myers. With the off day and the acquisition of Frankie Montas, it’s been a full week since Myers last pitched. He’s coming off an effective but inefficient start in which he allowed one run in four innings to the Marlins in a 6-2 victory last Sunday.

On the other side, lefty Mitchell Parker will make his 20th start of the season (and his career). Parker’s 4.31 ERA and 3.99 FIP seem about right: he’s been right around an average pitcher on the season, though Statcast doesn’t have a whole lot of confidence in his stuff. But Parker is a pitcher who doesn’t walk a ton of batters and will make you beat him, so Milwaukee’s bats will have to show up today.

With the left-handed Parker on the mound, Sal Frelick starts the afternoon on the bench and Garrett Mitchell is the left-handed outfielder in the starting lineup, batting ninth. Jackson Chourio returns to the leadoff spot after going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored yesterday, and Gary Sánchez, who has crushed lefties in his career, bats third.

It’s an early start today, 12:35 p.m. CT, on Bally Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.