MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting Boston Red Sox will be looking to rediscover their suddenly missing offense when they face the Milwaukee Brewers today in the middle game of a three-game set.
Right-hander Aaron Civale (0-1, 9.00 ERA) starts for the Brewers while the Red Sox have yet to name a starter.
Milwaukee took the series opener 3-2 on Monday. Jackson Chourio homered on the first pitch from Garrett Crochet to jump-start the Brewers. The Red Sox did not answer until they scored one run in the eighth, then they left the bases loaded in the ninth after making it a one-run game.
It was the third consecutive loss for Boston, which had scored one run in each of its two previous defeats. The Red Sox left 10 on base Monday, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“I think that we have a lot of faith in our offense,” said Crochet, who allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 11. “At any given moment we’re going to break out and the rest of the season we’re going to forget about these first two months.
“I think that the most important part is that we’re getting in the situations to have success,” he said. “And eventually the ball’s going to go our way.”
Rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the eighth. He is hitting .414 over that span with four doubles and a homer.
Civale will make his second start for Milwaukee since coming off the injured list due to a strained left hamstring, which he suffered on March 30 in his first start of the season. In his first start back, the 29-year-old allowed two runs on four hits in four innings of an 8-5 win on Thursday at Pittsburgh. He threw 73 pitches but did not get the decision.
Civale was 6-3 in 14 starts with Milwaukee last season after being acquired in July from Tampa Bay. Civale is 1-1 with a 4.95 ERA in four career starts vs. Boston.
Catcher William Contreras drew two walks Monday and has reached safely in his last 11 games, hitting .324 with 11 walks over that span.
Hours after being activated from the 60-day injured list (left lat strain), DL Hall picked up the win Monday in his first appearance of the season. He allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief.
Despite going 3-0 in four starts with a 1.71 ERA, rookie right-hander Logan Henderson was sent back to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Hall.
The move was to provide some bullpen depth for the Brewers, who still have starters Jose Quintana, Brandon Woodruff and Nestor Cortes on the shelf. Quintana and Woodruff are close to returning.