Mike Fiers
Mike Fiers won his fourth straight start since taking over for the injured Matt Garza, pitching the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park.
Fiers ERA stands at 1.29 in 28 innings since Fiers was called up from the minors. He has 32 strikeouts and just four walks during that stretch.
Fiers (4-1) struck out seven on Sunday to help the Brewers avoid a three game sweep. He allowed Starling Marte’s two run home run in the second innings, then went on to retire 16 of the next 17 hitters.
The Brewers knocked Pirates starter Vance Worley (5-4) for four runs in the first two innings. He ended up settling down to pitch into the 7th before giving way to the bullpen.
The Pirates saw their 3-game win streak come to an end and they fell 5-games back of the Brewers in the NL Central race.
Jonathan Lucroy hit his National League leading 43rd double for the Brewers, who snapped a three-game losing streak and moved back to 1 1/2 games over the St. Louis Cardinals atop the Central Division.
Closer Francisco Rodriguez ran into some trouble in the 9th, serving up a solo home run to Andrew McCutchen but eventually pitched out of further trouble and earned his 39th save.
AUDIO: Fiers says the offense helped him out :13