Red Sox aim to halt Brewers' first-inning production (May 10, 2017)
MILWAUKEE -- Kyle Kendrick will need to be sharp from the outset Wednesday when takes the mound for the Boston Red Sox in the second game of a three-game interleague series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
The Brewers' offense is wasting little time getting started this season. In the first inning this season, Milwaukee is batting .326 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 33 runs after erupting for five runs in the opening inning of an 11-7 victory over Boston on Tuesday.
"It's a great trait," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "It's something we've talked about a lot, when that starting pitcher is not quite settled into what he's doing, it's his first time out there in five days, it's a great opportunity -- sometimes your best opportunity -- to get that guy before he gets going."
The top of Milwaukee's order has done much of that damage so far this season and is a primary reason why the Brewers lead major leagues with 55 home runs. But now, the bottom of the order -- especially center fielder Keon Broxton -- is making the Brewers' lineup a force to be reckoned with.
Broxton got off to a slow start but has been on a tear the last three weeks. He finished a double short of the cycle Tuesday and is batting .383 (18-for-47) with five doubles, two triples, two home runs and seven RBIs over his last 15 games.
"That's the biggest cog," said first baseman Eric Thames, who is among the major league leaders in runs, homers, extra-base hits, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS. "Yeah, obviously at the top of the lineup, we need to produce. But for the bottom half, when those guys produce, it takes the pressure off of us. I think that's going to be a key to our success the rest of the year, having those guys produce."
Kendrick (0-1, 13.50 ERA) is looking to bounce back after a rocky first outing for the Red Sox. He went four innings and allowed six runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles in his first big league start since 2015.
"It wasn't the game that I planned to have," Kendrick said. "All I can do is get ready for my next start, throw well in the next one and this one's forgotten about."
Kendrick is 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA in six career appearances against the Brewers. All of those appearances occurred in Milwaukee. Kendrick hopes to duplicate his last outing against the Brewers, when he allowed seven hits in seven innings in a 10-0 victory for the Colorado Rockies on April 6, 2015.
Kendrick will be opposed by Chase Anderson, who will try and contain Mookie Betts. The Boston right fielder homered in the first inning Tuesday and went 4-for-4 with four RBIs. He is 7-for-10 in the past two games.
Anderson has gotten off to a good start in 2017, going 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA through his first six starts. He has produced three quality starts while holding opposing batters to a .238 average.
His 2017 success is a continuation of the way he ended 2016. Combined, Anderson is 7-1 with a 2.67 ERA over his past 18 starts dating back to July 25.
Part of Anderson's success is related to an ever-so-slight improvement to his fastball. More important, Anderson has been commanding his off-speed stuff better, especially his curveball.
"I think it goes back to the mentality of being the hunter and not the hunted," Anderson said. "(Pitching coach Derek Johnson) harps on that a lot. He tells me to just go out there and attack the strike zone and that my stuff's good enough and that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't."
Anderson has never faced the Red Sox.
