» Brewers win:
In two starts, he has allowed one run on six hits
Chase Anderson pitches a gem in a 2-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
TORONTO – Chase Anderson began pitching well in the second half of last season, but it was still nearly impossible for him to get through six innings without his pitch count sending him from the game.
Anderson reported to the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring camp this spring vowing to attack the strike zone and stop falling behind in the counts so often. Through his first two starts of the season, the 29year-old right-hander has done exactly that.
Anderson was masterful Wednesday night at the Rogers Centre, blanking the Toronto Blue Jays for seven innings on a mere three hits. He walked two and struck out seven, throwing 59 of 89 pitches for strikes.
The Brewers used that effort to squeeze past Toronto, 2-0, and sweep the two-game interleague series. Afterward, Anderson had every reason to feel great about the way he has begun the 2017 season.
In his two starts, Anderson has pitched 13 innings and allowed only six hits and one run (0.69 earned run average). He has issued four walks and logged 11 strikeouts.
With World Baseball Classic hero Marcus Stroman on the mound for the Blue Jays, the Brewers knew they had their work cut out. They parlayed op-
Thursday: Brewers (Nelson, 0-0) at Reds (Arroyo, 0-1), 6:10 p.m. TV: FSWis. Radio: AM-620.
posite-field doubles by Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton in the second inning into the first run of the game.
Stroman and Anderson then settled into an impressive pitching duel. Stroman had retired eight in a row when Jonathan Villar stepped to the plate to open the sixth inning and crushed a 417-foot home run to right-center, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead.
After Anderson put down the first 10 hitters of the game, the Blue Jays tried to muster a rally against him. With one down in the fourth, Jose Bautista finally provided a baserunner with a single to left and Josh Donaldson followed with a walk.
Kendry Morales hit a soft liner toward second base that Villar tried to snare with a diving effort, but it eluded him long enough for the runners to advance before he threw to first for the out. The dangerous Troy Tulowitzki drew a walk to load the bases before Russell Martin took a called third strike on a pitch a bit off the plate.
Anderson then settled back down, retiring seven of the next eight hitters. That spell ended when Martin, who was 0 for 20 for the season, belted a double to right-center with two down in the seventh, but Anderson retired Steve Pearce on a long fly to center to maintain the 2-0 lead.
Stroman ended up going the full nine innings, allowing seven hits. He fell to 1-1 on the season and still owns the only victory for the Blue Jays (1-7).
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
RHP Matt Garza, on the DL with a right groin strain, made his first rehab start for Class AAA Colorado Springs on Wednesday in Memphis. Garza is slated to make one more start for the Sky Sox, then it will be decision time. In his first outing, Garza pitched well, allowing two hits and one run over five innings.
As for what might happen at that point, manager Craig Counsell said, “That news is eight days away. That’s an eternity.”
Villar can be both frustrating and amazing, and was so in consecutive at-bats. In the third inning, he singled and moved to second on a passed ball but was picked off second base by a significant margin. In his next at-bat, Villar blasted a 417-foot home run to right-center.
STAT SHEET
Forbes magazine published its annual value of major league baseball teams, which the game’s executives have challenged regularly. The Brewers ranked 26th among the 30 clubs with a value of $925 million. Principal owner Mark Attanasio’s group paid $223 million for the club before the 2005 season.
Villar is having an odd offensive season. He has only seven hits but three of them are home runs.
TAKEAWAY
Anderson was not told he had a spot in the starting rotation until the final days of camp, but if that caused him any anxiety one would never know it. He has been the Brewers’ best starter through two starts (1-0, 0.69) and is doing what he promised to do in the spring — pound the strike zone.
RECORD
This year: 4-5 (2-5 home; 2-0 away)
Last year: 4-5
NEXT GAME
Thursday: Brewers at Reds, 6:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Jimmy Nelson (0-0, 1.50) vs. Cincinnati RHP Bronson Arroyo (0-1, 13.50). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.