Houston @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) Houston 5, Milwaukee 9
Still clinging to a tiny sliver of hope for a postseason berth, the Milwaukee Brewers will try to stave off their fate another day when they wrap up a three-game home series against the Houston Astros. Milwaukee is on the brink of elimination, needing to win its four remaining games and have St. Louis lose its last four. The Astros are plodding toward the worst season in franchise history as Saturday's loss was their 106th, matching last season's total for the club record.
Milwaukee pounded 15 hits, including three home runs in a 9-5 victory Saturday to improve to 47-30 at Miller Park. The Astros are 17-60 on the road and need to win one of their last four contests - all on the road - to avoid tying the worst mark in a 162-game season. Rookie right-hander Mike Fiers will make his final start of the season for the Brewers. Fiers beat the Astros in his only previous start against them, allowing two runs over six innings on Aug. 1.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Houston, Fox Sports Wisconsin, Telemundo
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Jordan Lyles (4-12, 5.44 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Mike Fiers (9-9, 3.55)
Lyles hasn't gone past the fifth inning in any of his last five starts, and he has just one win during that stretch. He gave up three runs in four innings in a loss to Pittsburgh last time out. Lyles has lost his last two starts against Milwaukee and is 0-3 with a 5.54 ERA in five games (four starts) against the Brewers.
Fiers' strong rookie season went south in September, as he is 1-3 with a 6.97 ERA in five starts this month. He hasn't made it past the fifth inning in any of those outings and gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss at Cincinnati his last time out.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee OF Norichika Aoki has 18 extra-base hits in September, tying a franchise record.
2. The Astros have hit seven home runs during the first two games of the series, their most in a two-game span this year.
3. The Brewers have won nine of 16 meetings this season, clinching the season series for the fifth time in the past six years.