Brandon Sproat Chasing His First Win While Two Teams Riding Historic Momentum Into Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres both walked off the field Sunday with their hearts still pounding. Now they're about to collide in Wisconsin for a three-game set that feels way bigger than an early May matchup. This is what happens when two teams taste the kind of drama that makes you believe everything is possible.

Milwaukee beat the Yankees 4-3 on Brice Turang's walk-off homer with two outs in the ninth, completing a series sweep and pushing the Brewers to six games over .500 for the first time this season. San Diego? They rallied past St. Louis 3-2 when Nick Castellanos crushed a game-tying two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, then Manny Machado delivered the dagger with a sac fly in the 10th. These weren't just wins. These were the kind of gut-punch comebacks that change a team's energy for weeks.

Sproat's Still Looking For His First Big League Win

Right-hander Brandon Sproat gets the ball Tuesday for Milwaukee, and he's still hunting for his first major league victory. The numbers don't look pretty yet. Sproat sits at 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA, but his last outing tells a different story. He allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings against St. Louis, struck out five, and walked three in a 76-pitch performance. He didn't get the decision in that 6-2 win, but Brewers manager Pat Murphy sees something clicking.

"He made some big pitches in some big times and had way too many three-ball counts," Murphy said. "I think he's learning stuff. He's learning, 'I can do it. I'm good enough. I don't have to be sharp.'"

The walks have been a problem though. Sproat has given up 18 free passes in just 30 2/3 innings this season. This is his sixth start and eighth appearance overall. He was 0-2 last September with the Mets in four starts, so he's still finding his footing at this level.

San Diego's Bats Are Sleeping, But They Keep Winning Anyway

San Diego's situation is wild. They managed just 14 hits in a four-game series against the Cardinals, the fewest hits the Padres have posted in any four-game series in franchise history. And they still walked out with a split because of clutch hits when it mattered most.

"We're not hitting," Machado said after Sunday's win. "It's obvious. But we're getting things done. At the end of the day, it's about winning ballgames, and we're doing that."

Padres pitcher Matt Waldron (1-1, 7.71 ERA) gets the call Tuesday opposite Sproat. Waldron came off the bench in relief in his last appearance following a first-inning opener and picked up the win. He threw five innings, allowed one run on two hits, and struck out seven in a 5-1 victory over the Giants. The April numbers were brutal though, with Waldron allowing 15 runs in 13 2/3 innings across three starts, including six runs in each of his first two outings. Something's shifted.

"I think the preparation was a little bit different," Waldron said. "But the second you're out there, the goal is the same. Go as deep as you can."

Milwaukee's Bullpen Is Becoming The Difference Maker

The story nobody's talking about is Milwaukee's relief core. Aaron Ashby picked up his major-league-leading seventh victory Saturday despite giving up an unearned run in the 10th inning before the Brewers rallied to win 4-3. Then he struck out three in a scoreless inning Sunday. Over his last 11 appearances, Ashby has a 0.64 ERA, allowing just one earned run across 14 innings with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks. That's the kind of dominance that wins October baseball.

Pat

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.