Brewers Send Out Ace
The Milwaukee Brewers’ prized trade acquisition has wasted no time turning into the staff ace. Their previous No. 1 starter, meanwhile, hasn’t quite been following suit.
Coming off his worst start of the season, Ben Sheets will look to win for the first time in nearly a month on Sunday when the Brewers try for a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Milwaukee -150 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 8.5 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 87% of bets for this game have been placed on Milwaukee -150 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Ben Sheets (10-4, 3.14 ERA) has battled injuries the past three seasons, but has usually been one of the NL’s best pitchers when healthy. The right-hander certainly fit that description in his first 15 starts of 2008, going 9-1 with a 2.59 ERA.
He made his second consecutive All-Star team in mid-July, shortly after Milwaukee (62-49) traded for reigning AL Cy Young award winner CC Sabathia, but Sheets hasn’t been as effective lately. In six starts since June 29, Sheets is 1-3 with a 4.75 ERA. He hasn’t pitched past the seventh inning in any of those outings after going at least 7 2-3 innings five times in his first 15 starts.
On Tuesday, Sheets endured his worst start of the season in the Brewers’ biggest series to date. He gave up six runs and 11 hits over a season-low 5 1-3 innings – giving up all five runs in the sixth – in a 7-1 loss to Chicago, as the Cubs took all four games at Miller Park to increase Milwaukee’s division deficit from one game to five games.
"There’s nothing going on with him," manager Ned Yost told the Brewers’ official Web site. "He was pitching really, really well until the sixth inning, his pitch count was down at 75 pitches. Then it just started piling up on him."
Milwaukee has turned things around in Atlanta, however, where it’s seen two top-notch pitching performances in taking the first two from the Braves (50-60). Jeff Suppan tossed seven shutout innings Friday in the Brewers’ 9-0 win, before Sabathia turned in another outstanding performance Saturday. The big lefty went 8 1-3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out nine, and improved to 5-0 with Milwaukee in a 4-2 win.
"It’s been going well so far,” Sabathia said. "I just want to be able to keep us in games.”
Atlanta was also the site of Sheets’ latest gem. He pitched his third complete game of the season on June 23, allowing four hits and a run while striking out seven in a 4-1 win.
Sheets has won his last six starts against the Braves since 2005, posting a 2.95 ERA in that span.
Atlanta has dropped seven of its last eight games, and its offense hasn’t fared well since trading RBI leader Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday. The Braves have scored 16 total runs in the five games since that deal, including seven in their four losses.
They’ve combined for two runs and 12 hits in two games against Milwaukee, and have scored 20 runs total in losing six of eight to the Brewers this season.
Jorge Campillo (5-4, 2.76) will take the mound for Atlanta in the series finale, looking to build on his 2-0 record and 1.66 ERA over his last four starts. The right-hander allowed two runs in seven innings against St. Louis on Tuesday, but the bullpen imploded after he left in the Braves’ 8-3 loss.
"Campillo pitched a great game," manager Bobby Cox told Atlanta’s official Web site. "Another super outing by him."
Two of Campillo’s five wins have come against Milwaukee. He has a 2.25 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 12 innings versus the Brewers.
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