HEADLINE

Brewers go for four-game sweep of Dodgers

Field Level Media

May 02, 2021 at 11:14 am.

The last time Julio Urias lost a start for the Los Angeles Dodgers it came against the Milwaukee Brewers — more than two years ago.

He’ll try to continue his success against the Brewers and help the reeling Dodgers avoid being swept in this four-game set at Milwaukee on Sunday.

Including the postseason, Urias (3-0, 3.23 ERA) is 8-0 over his past 22 starts since he last lost a decision on April 12, 2019, versus Milwaukee. During that outing, Urias allowed five earned runs and six hits over five innings in the Dodgers’ 8-5 defeat.

Through four starts during his career against the Brewers, Urias is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA.

This season, the left-hander has been solid, especially while winning his two road starts, where he yielded one run, four hits, struck out 17 and walked two over 14 innings.

However, there could be some pressure on Urias, as Los Angeles looks to avoid being swept in a four-game series for the first time since April 2019, at St. Louis.

The recently offensively challenged Dodgers went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position, struck out 12 times and blew three one-run leads and a 5-3 edge in the 11th innings during Saturday’s disheartening 6-5 defeat.

Los Angeles, which also used nine relievers on the night after promising starter Dustin May left in the second inning with what manager Dave Roberts called a “shooting sensation” in the right elbow.

“It’s tough, it’s frustrating and it seems awful,” Dodgers outfielder AJ Pollock told the club’s official website. “But in baseball, we play 162 games, sometimes you go through little things like this.”

While the Dodgers are seriously struggling, the NL Central-leading Brewers have won nine of their past 12 and believe an emotional triumph like Saturday only ups the club’s collective confidence.

“(Those) are the type of wins that go a long way,” Milwaukee starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who yielded two runs in six innings Saturday, told the team’s official website.

The Brewers also are succeeding with more than 15 players currently on the injured list. Including the likes of Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Omar Narvaez and Corbin Burnes.

“Our depth’s getting tested for sure, but guys are stepping up,” Milwaukee’s Travis Shaw told Bally Sports Wisconsin. “Each guy is doing his job. Just got to keep it rolling.”

Shaw is one of those Brewers stepping up. He homered early in the game and drove home the winning run with a single on Saturday.

Meanwhile fellow Brewer Luis Urias is 8-for-19 with a homer and five RBIs in his past seven games, and teammate Kolten Wong is batting .412 with five RBIs over his last nine.

Alec Bettinger will start in his major league debut on Sunday. The right-hander was called up from the team’s alternate training site prior to this series.

Though Bettinger is facing a Dodgers’ team that’s struggling to consistently score runs at the moment, star Mookie Betts is 5-for-13 with a home run and three RBIs during this series.