The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to veteran Brandon Woodruff as they look to avoid a series sweep by the visiting Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon.
Woodruff (1-0, 5.91 ERA) will be opposed by fellow right-hander Zack Littell (0-1, 3.60).
Foster Griffin and three relievers combined on a two-hitter to pace the Nationals to a 3-1 victory Saturday. Griffin took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing his only hit, a leadoff single, to Joey Ortiz. William Contreras’ solo homer to open the ninth was the only run for the Brewers, who left the bases loaded in the sixth and ninth innings.
Washington pitchers had tossed 16 scoreless innings before Contreras’ homer on Saturday.
James Wood’s two-run double in the fifth was the key hit and extended his hitting streak to six games. Wood is hitting .522 (12-for-23) over that span with three doubles, three homers and 10 RBIs.
“Not coming off of a great homestand, to come on the road here against a really tough team in a tough environment. … Against a really good lineup, to be able to get the first two is huge,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said.
The Brewers have scored just six runs during their four-game losing streak. Three of those runs came on Jake Bauer’s homer in the first inning of Friday’s 7-3 loss to the Nationals.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game at the end there, loading the bases against their closer,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Saturday. “There’s sporadically really good at-bats, but it’s tough when you’ve got high expectations of yourselves and you’ve got some injuries, you’ve got some inexperience, and guys getting to play that haven’t played full time.”
Woodruff, who missed the playoffs last season after a September injury, has been inconsistent in his two starts. In his most recent outing, he faced Texas through 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits in an 8-6 no-decision in Boston last Monday.
Woodruff is 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA in nine career appearances, including seven starts, against the Nationals.
Littell will be making his third appearance and second start after following an opener his first time out, pitching five innings in each game.
In his most recent start, Littell allowed one run on four hits in a 9-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. He struck out six and walked three in a 70-pitch outing.
Littell is 0-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 12 career appearances versus the Brewers, with his only three starts coming last season when he allowed four runs in 16 2/3 innings, striking out 11 and walking four.
CJ Abrams also has been hot at the plate for the Nationals, hitting safely in 10 of his past 11 games. He is hitting .333 over that span with four homers, a double, and 13 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
