Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Houser strikes out 10, hits HR, as Brewers end skid
Adrian Houser brought the heat on the mound and kept his cool circling the bases.
The veteran right-hander struck out 10 in six innings and homered off Daniel Castano for the second time this season, helping the Milwaukee Brewers snap a six-game losing streak by beating Miami 6-2 Saturday.
Houser’s homer in the fourth raised his career average to .121 (4 for 33). He also homered against Castano when he beat Miami on April 27, and this time he didn’t want to let his excitement show.
“I was trying to keep the heart rate down and trying not to be as emotional as last time, trying to stay even keel and not have to catch my breath when I was going back out to the mound,” Houser said.
He’s the first pitcher to homer off the same pitcher in separate games in the same season since Bronson Arroyo did it against off Glendon Rusch in 2006.
Avisaíl García added his fourth home run for the Brewers, who improved to 1-5 on their sevengame trip. The losing streak was their longest since July 2018, and began when they led the NL Central.
“A big win,” Houser said. “We really needed it. Hopefully we can keep it going and get back to where we were.”
Miami had won four in a row. Marlins batters struck out 18 times and totaled only six hits.
Houser (3-3) allowed two runs while matching a career high in strikeouts. He became the 17th pitcher since 1900 to hit a home run, walk none and have at least 10 strikeouts in a game, and he’s the first Brewer to accomplish the feat.
“A great start from Adrian,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He was as good as we’ve seen.”
Although Houser was dominant, Miguel Rojas homered on his first pitch.
“That’s baseball for you,” Houser said. “It’s definitely a crazy game.”
Castano (0-2) allowed three runs in four innings.
“Somehow Houser runs into another one,” Castano said.
“Completely unexpected,” Counsell said, “but it got the dugout fired up.”