The playoff-bound Milwaukee Brewers are hoping Brandon Woodruff will benefit from a few extra days of rest when he faces the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.
Woodruff (6-2, 3.32 ERA), who has pitched well since coming off the injured list in July, will be opposed by fellow right-hander Jose Soriano (10-10, 4.13).
The Brewers won the series opener 9-2 on Tuesday night behind a dominant pitching performance by Freddy Peralta, who allowed one run on two hits while striking out 10 for his National League-best 17th victory. Christian Yelich paced the offense with a two-run homer.
Milwaukee (92-59) maintained its five-game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs, who posted a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.
The Brewers’ magic number to clinch the division title is seven games. They hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for the top record in the NL.
Woodruff, who missed all of last season recovering from right shoulder surgery, originally was slated to start Saturday.
“The guy has come back from a major surgery,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said when the move was announced. “Just want to make sure that health is important.”
Woodruff was 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA in four starts in July after coming off the IL. He was 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA in six starts in August, going 4 1/3 innings or fewer in his two losses and one no-decision.
In his most recent start on Sept. 6, Woodruff allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings in a 4-1 victory over the Pirates, striking out eight and walking none.
He has faced the Angels once, allowing four runs on as many hits in six innings of a 4-2 loss in 2019.
Yelich is just one homer and one RBI away from his first 30/100 season since 2018, when he won the National League MVP award. It would be his first 30-homer season since hitting 44 in 2019. Yelich is hitting .299 with seven homers and 24 RBIs over his last 28 games.
The Angels (69-82) lost their fifth straight game after managing just three hits and striking out 14 times against Peralta and three relievers.
“We’ve got to wash this one, come back tomorrow. We’ve got a tough one tomorrow against (Woodruff),” Angels manager Ray Montgomery said. “It’s not going to get any easier. You know what they’re fighting for. They want that No. 1 seed.”
Soriano has been more effective on the road, going 8-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 15 starts.
He is 0-1 with a 15.63 ERA in two starts this month, being tagged for 12 runs (11 earned) on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings, with eight walks and eight strikeouts.
Angels slugger Mike Trout remains one homer shy of 400 for his career. Trout was 0-for-3 in the opener with one walk and a fly out to the warning track in center field.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Angels placed shortstop Zach Neto on the 10-day injured list with a left hand strain, ending his season. Neto hit .257 with 26 homers and 62 RBIs in 128 games.