Tampa Bay @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
THE STORY: The Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff took some lumps in a weekend series against the Boston Red Sox, but a return to Miller Park has seemed to rejuvenate the club more than once already this season. Owners of the best home record in the majors, the Brewers have ridden the Miller Park wave all the way to the top of the National League Central. The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a sweep of their in-state rivals and will be looking to carry that momentum onto the road as they attempt to hang with the Red Sox and the New York Yankees in the American League East. Chris Narveson will take the mound when the Brewers host the opener of the three-game series on Monday night.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SUN, FSWI
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeff Niemann (1-4, 5.74 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Chris Narveson (4-4, 4.48 ERA).
Niemann will be making his return to the rotation after sitting out the last seven weeks with a lower back strain. The 6-foot-9 righthander had not gotten off to a great start in 2011, allowing five homers while striking out 17 through 31 1/3 total innings. Niemann has made seven career starts in interleague play, posting a 2-2 record with a 3.48 ERA.
Narveson has won each of his last two starts, blanking the Cardinals over eight innings on June 10 and then struggling through 5 1/3 innings at Chicago last Wednesday. The 29-year old has surrendered four earned runs or more in four of his last five starts. Narveson has never made a start against an AL opponent.
ABOUT THE RAYS (39-33): Tampa Bay cruised past the stumbling Florida Marlins over the weekend, sweeping the three-game set to stay within shouting distance of the Red Sox and Yankees in the East. The Rays’ win total would have them battling for first in either of the other two divisions in the AL, but the East has always required an extra effort, and Tampa Bay is relying on its pitching to push it forward. James Shields tossed his second consecutive complete game on Sunday, striking out 10 and allowing four hits in the process. Tampa Bay actually plays better away from Tropicana Park, owning a 21-15 road record.
ABOUT THE BREWERS (40-33): Milwaukee plays like the best team in the majors at Miller Park (25-9) but for some reason can’t find anywhere close to that same magic when it goes on the road (15-24). Those road woes were on display over the weekend, when the Brewers dropped two of three at Boston, allowing 22 runs in the losses. Ace Yovani Gallardo could not even make it through the fourth inning on Sunday, getting blasted for eight runs - five earned - in a 12-3 setback. Combined with a series at Wrigley Field earlier in the week, Milwaukee has now dropped five of its last seven games to fall back into a tie for first place in the National League Central with the St. Louis Cardinals.
FINAL PITCH: Milwaukee righthander Shaun Marcum, who was forced out of Friday’s start with a left hip flexor strain, could miss his next start. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Marcum had an MRI on Saturday and will be reevaluated Monday. He is scheduled to take the mound in Wednesday’s series finale against the Rays.