Game Thread #145: Milwaukee Brewers (83-61) @ San Francisco Giants (71-74)

Colin Rea on the hill as Brewers look for series victory

The Milwaukee Brewers took game one of a three-game set in San Francisco yesterday with a close 3-2 victory. They’ll look to continue their success tonight and clinch the series with another victory tonight when Colin Rea takes the hill against one of the league’s toughest matchups, the Giants’ Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young winner.

Milwaukee avoided Snell in their home series with the Giants this season, but they won’t be so lucky this time. Snell started the year terribly but since returning from the injured list on July 9, he’s been one of the league’s best pitchers: in 11 starts since then, he has a 1.42 ERA and 2.09 FIP and he’s averaging over 12 strikeouts per nine innings. That stretch includes a no-hitter and four games with double-digit strikeouts, including one in which he struck out 15 batters in only six innings. He did struggle in his last start, however: he needed 42 pitches to get through one inning, allowing two runs (one earned), and he didn’t go back out for the second.

Rea wasn’t bad his last time out, but he was plagued by inefficiency, needing 75 pitches to complete four innings. He gave up two runs (both earned) in that game, which Milwaukee lost in 10 innings. He still sports a solid 3.72 ERA on the season.

Jackson Chourio is back in the leadoff spot against the left-handed Snell tonight, with Gary Sánchez serving as the DH. There’s a little bit of a lineup shuffle with Blake Perkins moving up to the two-hole. Both Sal Frelick and Brice Turang are in there in a tough lefty-on-lefty matchup.

First pitch is at 8:45 p.m. CT on Bally Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network. Come stay up late with us!