MLB playoffs: NLDS, Milwaukee vs. Colorado, Game 2 thread
After an exciting game 1, the Rockies and Brewers continue their MLB playoffs series in Milwaukee in game 2 of the NLDS!
For each game this postseason, you will find a “game thread” here on Call To The Pen. This will be a spot that you can count on fans of the game to be around for chat on the game as it happens throughout the MLB playoffs in the month of October, all the way through the World Series.
After a dynamic game 1 where the “bullpen game” of the Brewers made it all the way to the end before faltering, leading to a walk-off 10th inning Brewers victory, the two teams square off with traditional starters on Friday as the Brewers hope to go up 2-0 in their best-of-five series with Jhoulys Chacin taking on Tyler Anderson.
For the Brewers
The Brewers send their 2018 ace, Jhoulys Chacin, to the mound on Friday. Chacin last took the hill for the Brewers on Monday in game 163, and after pitching 5 2/3 innings and just 75 pitches on Monday, he will go on 3 days rest for Friday’s game.
This will likely mean that Chacin will be out quickly for bullpen arms if anything happens early with him. Chacin has had a career revival the last two seasons with a new grip on his sinker that has allowed his sinker/slider combo to play up.
The Brewers will have the same trio of bats starting off their lineup on Friday with Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, and Ryan Braun keying their lineup. With a lefty on the mound, however, cleanup hitter Jesus Aguilar will be much more prominent. While he’s hit 35 home runs on the season for a very good year overall, he’s posted an OPS 50 points higher against lefties.
Only one Brewers player had more than 2 at bats against Anderson this year, as the team faced him just once on the year, an August 4th game, when the Brewers tagged Anderson with 7 runs over 4 innings on 7 hits and 3 walks, including 3 home runs.
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For the Rockies
After using their two best pitchers to simply make it to the NLDS, the Rockies have had to use their #3 and #4 starters to open the NLDS. While lefty Tyler Anderson’s overall line of a 4.55 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP over 176 innings doesn’t blow anyone away, he did finish the season strong, tossing 19 2/3 innings over his final three starts, allowing a 1.83 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 5/15 BB/K ratio.
Anderson has struggled in his one start against the Brewers this season, and with an off-day Saturday, this could be a time that you may see Chad Bettis pitch out of the bullpen. Bettis is a starter by trade, so he could go multiple innings fairly easily.
Chacin has only faced the Rockies once this season, back in May, when he defeated the Rockies, though he did allow 2 runs over 5 1/3 innings. Trevor Story was able to hit a home run, and DJ LeMahieu went 2-3 in the game.
Next. How umpires fared in the first night of NLDS. dark
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