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Jeffress closing the door on all the Brewers' wins
Despite having only one career save coming into the season, Jeremy Jeffress expressed his desire to be the Milwaukee Brewers closer this season.
The plan initially was to go with matchups, with manager Craig Counsell splitting the duties between Jeffress and Will Smith. But with Smith on the disabled list, Jeffress has been "the man" for Milwaukee.
In fact, Jeffress is just the third closer in Brewers history to save each of the team's first four wins in a season. The others: Ken Sanders in 1972 and Derrick Turnbow in 2006 -- and both of those relievers were coming off 30+ save seasons. No Milwaukee reliever has had a save in each of the Brewers' first five wins of the season.
In case you were wondering, the major-league record for consecutive games earning a save in team wins to start a season is 10 by Pittsburgh's Jose Mesa in 2005.
Meanwhile, it is only a matter of time before Ryan Braun becomes Milwaukee's career leader in home runs vs. the Pirates.
MOST BREWERS HR VS. PIRATES, ALL-TIME
Player HR
Ryan Braun 27
Prince Fielder 27
Rickie Weeks 19
Geoff Jenkins 17
Corey Hart 15
Braun has one homer off Friday's starter, Jeff Locke, in 31 plate appearances.
Other notes:
-- Jimmy Nelson has held the Pirates to a .197 batting average in six career starts. That is the sixth-lowest career opponent average vs. Pittsburgh by an active pitcher (min. 5 starts).
-- Last year the Brewers and Pirates combined for 23 hit batters in their season series, most of any National League series and second most in any MLB series (two behind Orioles-Blue Jays).
-- Two of Scooter Gennett's three home runs this season have come on the first pitch of his at-bat.
-- Pittsburgh's Gregory Polanco has more walks (11) than hits (9) this season. He is walking every 4.09 plate appearance this season after having a rate of one walk per 11.85 PA in 2015.
-- Pittsburgh's bullpen has a 0.95 ERA and .143 opponent batting average in wins this season and a 9.17 ERA and .347 OBA in losses.
-- Pittsburgh's David Freese has 10 hits in his first five home games with the Pirates, tied for second-most since 1913. The record for most his for a Pirates player in his first six home games with the club since 1913 is 13, done twice (Billy Southworth, 1913 and Cal Abrams, 1953).
Statistics courtesy STATS Inc. and baseball-reference.com
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