(Sports Network) – Yovani Gallardo goes after win No. 9 this evening when the Milwaukee Brewers play the rubber match of their three-game set against the New York Mets at Miller Park.
Gallardo won his sixth straight start on Saturday in Florida, as he allowed just one earned run and six hits in six innings to up his mark to 8-2 on the season, while lowering his earned run average to 3.72.
Over the course of his six-game winning streak Gallardo has allowed just six runs in 41 innings.
Gallardo has faced the Mets four times and is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA.
Milwaukee put itself in position to win this series on Wednesday, as Nyjer Morgan’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Brewers to a 7-6 win.
Craig Counsell singled with one out against Dale Thayer (0-1), then swiped second as Rickie Weeks struck out swinging. Morgan followed by ripping a ball into the right-field corner to bring home Counsell with the winning run.
“Wasn’t that interesting?” said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke.
Prince Fielder hit a pair of two-run homers for the Brewers, who rallied from a 6-2 deficit to win for the fifth time in six games.
John Axford (2-1) turned in a scoreless top of the ninth and earned a win.
Ronny Paulino finished 4-for-4 with a three-run homer for the Mets, who saw their three-game win streak snapped.
The Mets had scored five times in the top of the eighth, only to see Milwaukee respond with four in the home half before pulling out the win in its last at- bat.
“It’s nothing new,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Right now, there’s an empty feeling because we thought we had that one pretty much wrapped up.”
New York will counter with lefty Jon Niese, who is 4-5 with a 3.75 ERA. Niese did not get a decision on Friday against Atlanta, but pitched well, as he allowed just a pair of runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 6-3 loss.
Niese has faced the Brewers twice without getting a decision, despite being rocked for 11 runs and 17 hits in just 5 2/3 innings of those outings.
The Brewers won five of seven matchups with the Mets a year ago.