Brandon Sproat Chasing His First Win While the Brewers Are Six Games Over .500 and Rolling

The Milwaukee Brewers are feeling it right now. After sweeping the Yankees with a walk-off homer from Brice Turang in the ninth inning Sunday, they're sitting at a season-high-tying six games over .500 and hosting the San Diego Padres for a three-game series starting Tuesday. But here's the thing: the guy taking the mound for Milwaukee is still looking for his first major league victory.

Right-hander Brandon Sproat (0-2, 5.87 ERA) will be making his sixth start and eighth appearance of the season when he faces the Padres. He's got a shot to finally get into the win column, and the Brewers are counting on him to keep the momentum rolling. On the other side, the Padres will counter with right-handed knuckleballer Matt Waldron (1-1, 7.71 ERA), though Waldron followed an opener his last time out.

Sproat Learning On the Fly

Sproat came up through the Mets system last September, going 0-2 in four starts. This year he's still chasing that first W, but there are signs of growth. In his last start against St. Louis, he allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings, struck out five, and walked three in a 76-pitch outing. He didn't get a decision in a 6-2 win, but manager Pat Murphy saw enough to be encouraged.

"He made some big pitches in some big times and had way too many three-ball counts," Murphy said after that outing. "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 issued 18 free passes in 30 2/3 innings, which is something the Brewers are working to clean up. But Murphy sees a kid who's figuring it out, and a first win feels close.

The Padres Just Won't Quit, Even When the Bats Are Cold

San Diego swept into Milwaukee fresh off a dramatic comeback Sunday. Nick Castellanos hit a game-tying two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against St. Louis, and then Manny Machado drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th for a 3-2 victory. Both teams were idle Monday, but Sunday left both squads fired up.

Here's what's wild about the Padres right now: they're winning ballgames despite managing just 14 hits in a four-game series against the Cardinals. That's the fewest hits San Diego has had in any four-game series in franchise history. Machado knows the offense isn't clicking yet, but he's not worried about it.

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

Waldron Finding His Footing After a Rocky April

Waldron allowed 15 runs in 13 2/3 innings across three starts in April, including six runs in each of his first two outings. Things clicked differently in his last appearance though. He came in following an opener, allowed one run on two hits over five innings with seven strikeouts, and picked up the win in a 5-1 victory over the Giants.

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

Meanwhile, the Brewers' reliever Aaron Ashby continues to be a difference maker. He has a major-league-leading seven victories and an 0.64 ERA over his last 11 appearances, allowing just one earned run in 14 innings with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks. He struck out three in a scoreless inning Sunday as part of the rally that won the series against New York.

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