Miley will start Game 5 on short rest

LOS ANGELES - Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell wasn’t ready to name his Game 4 starter on Monday afternoon but he did reveal that lefthander Wade Miley will start Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on three days’ rest.

After the Brewers beat the Dodgers, 4-0, in Game 3, Counsell said Gio Gonzalez would start Tuesday night. The Miley assignment was not a huge surprise after the veteran lefthander pitched 52⁄3 shutout innings in Game 2 on Saturday at Miller Park, allowing two hits and no walks with three strikeouts. The Brewers built a 3-0 lead in that game before the Dodgers rallied to win, 4-3, and even the series.

Miley threw 74 pitches in that outing so there is no way to know how long he can go in Game 5. Counsell did the same thing with Jhoulys Chacín in the NLDS against Colorado and he responded with five shutout innings to finish the Brewers’ sweep.

“It’s no different than what we did with Chacín,” Counsell said. “He’s capable of doing that. We’ll have to make a decision on Game 4 but that’s where we’re going to go back to in Game 5.”

Miley, who sense of humor is wellknown in the Brewers’ clubhouse, was asked how he thought he’d respond to pitching on short rest.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I usually sleep pretty good before I pitch.”

Miley also made a strong start in Game 3 of the NLDS, and will enter Wednesday with 101⁄3 shutout innings and a WHIP of 0.58. He has pitched well at Dodger Stadium over the course of his career, going 4-0 with an ERA of 2.06 and WHIP of 1.10 in seven total starts.

In Miley’s lone start here this season, he limited the Dodgers to two hits in seven shutout innings in a 2-1 Brewers victory.

“I threw a bullpen today so I’ll be ready,” Miley said. “I was kind of hoping for this. It shouldn’t be that big a deal.

“I know I pitched here a lot when I was in Arizona (from 2011-’14). I didn’t really know my record was that good here. I’m not going to change anything at this point. I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing.

“I feel like if I execute my pitches, I’m going to have success. If I don’t execute, I won’t have success. It’s as simple as that. I was able to locate my pitches (in Game 2) and I got some swings when I was behind in the count. I feel as long as I keep the ball down and get them to hit it on the ground, our defense will make the plays.”

Counsell said not naming his Game 4 “initial out-getter” was not gamesmanship or trying to get any advantage over the Dodgers. He said he just wouldn’t know who was available until he saw who needed to be used in Game 3.

“This isn’t as much about what the Dodgers show us as really how we get

through the game today,” he said. “I want to keep our options open for the game as to how we feel is the best way to win the game. That’s how we manage the game and that’s how we choose who goes out there.”

Taking nothing for granted: Brewers infielder Travis Shaw received some good advice from his father, Jeff

Shaw, a former big-league pitcher: Don’t take postseason opportunities for granted.

Jeff pitched for five teams over 10plus years but never got to play October baseball. His son played in the postseason for Boston in 2016 and again this year for the Brewers.

“When he tells that story, he played in the big leagues for 10 full years and he never made it in,” Shaw said. “I’ve been there two out of my three full years.

“He basically said, ‘Don’t take it for granted because you never know. This could be the last run (to the postseason) you ever get.’ It’s pretty special when you think about it, even playing here where he played, too. It’s kind of a cool experience.”

Briefly a Dodger: Much has been made of the LA connections of Brewers players Ryan Braun, Christian Yelich and Mike Moustakas, all of whom live in Malibu. But Counsell actually wore a Dodgers uniform for the second half of the 1999 season after being traded from the Marlins.

“It was an honor, certainly, to put on the Dodger uniform,” Counsell said. “I do have some memories.”

Counsell said he lived with Dodgers infielder Mark Grudzielanek in Manhattan Beach, which he called “a beautiful place to live.” But what about the traffic, to and from the ballpark, he was asked.

“We left early and got home late,” Counsell said. “But, in the meantime, we had the beach in the morning, so it was worth it.”

Murphy ready to manage: There have been some rumblings that Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy might be considered for one or more of the many managerial openings across the majors, with perhaps some interest from Texas.

Murphy has previous experience managing in the majors, serving on an interim basis for San Diego in 2015 after

Bud Black was fired in June. Murphy had been managing the Padres’ Class AAA El Paso club before being summoned to take over the big-league club.

Before that professional experience, Murphy was head coach of successful collegiate programs at Notre Dame and Arizona State.

Brewers general manager David

Stearns wouldn’t say if he’s getting any phone calls about Murphy but said Counsell’s right-hand man and mentor should be considered.

“Pat’s been an essential part of the culture we’ve created here the last three years,” Stearns said. “He’s had previous managerial experience. He’s pretty much had success everywhere he has been.”