Astros, Brewers close set at Miller Park
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Right-hander Mike Fiers makes his fourth attempt at a 10th victory Sunday when the Milwaukee Brewers close out a three-game series with the visiting Houston Astros at Miller Park.
The 27-year-old, a native of Hollywood, Fla., got to 9-7 on the season with a 6-3 defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 8 in St. Louis, but has since gone 0-2 in three appearances while watching his earned run average swell from 3.05 to 3.55.
He was beaten, 4-2, by the Cincinnati Reds in his most recent mound outing, allowing nine hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings while walking two batters and striking out eight.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The product of Nova Southeastern University has made one career start against the Astros and emerged a 13-4 winner aftr allowing two runs on eight hits in six innings in Milwaukee on Aug. 1.
The Brewers are 11-11 in the games he's pitched in 2012.
He's opposed by 21-year-old righty Jordan Lyles, who faces the Brewers for the sixth time in his 45th big-league appearance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The last two meetings came in August - first against Fiers in the aforementioned Aug. 1 game in Milwaukee and ended for Lyles after five innings in which he allowed nine runs on nine hits.
He started against Milwaukee against on Aug. 12 and dropped a 5-3 verdict after this time allowing two earned runs on eight hits in seven innings.
Houston is 3-7 in his last 10 starts and 5-19 in games he's pitched in 2012.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Saturday, Marco Estrada tossed eight scoreless innings, Corey Hart homered twice and the Brewers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 9-5 win.
Milwaukee's win, coupled with the St. Louis Cardinals' extra-inning loss to the Washington Nationals, has the Brewers four games off the pace for the National League's final wild card spot. Both teams have four games remaining.
Estrada (5-7) struck out 11, issued just one walk and scattered four hits to earn the victory. Livan Hernandez allowed three ninth-inning homers before Jose Veras recorded the game's final out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aramis Ramirez and Norichika Aoki both had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored for the Brewers, who dropped a 7-6 decision to the Astros in Friday's series opener.
Dallas Keuchel (3-8) allowed seven runs on eight hits over just 2 1/3 innings to take the loss on Saturday. The rookie left-hander walked one and struck out two.
"It's kind of disappointing to end my year on this note, but it's my own fault," said Keuchel.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fernando Martinez and Brian Bogusevic both belted two-run homers for Houston in the ninth and Tyler Greene added a solo blast.
The Brewers won eight of the initial 14 games between the teams in 2012, though Houston won two of three in a home series from Aug. 10-12.