Brewers host A's, look for fourth consecutive win

The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to rookie right-hander Chad Patrick as they seek their fourth consecutive victory when they face the visiting Athletics on Saturday.

Patrick (1-0, 1.76 ERA) will be opposed by veteran right-hander Luis Severino (0-3, 4.01).

The Brewers held on for a 5-3 victory in the series opener Friday. Freddy Peralta tossed five scoreless innings and Christian Yelich drove in three runs. The Athletics, who had won their three previous games, rallied with two runs in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate but reliever Trevor Megill induced Shea Langeliers to ground out.

Patrick will be making his fourth start after debuting in relief in late March. In his most recent outing on April 12 in Phoenix, he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings and did not figure into the decision in a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Opponents are batting .218 against him.

Patrick was the International League Pitcher of the Year at Triple A-Nashville last season after going 14-1 with a 2.90 ERA in 26 games, including 24 starts.

Yelich, who was given a day off on Monday at the start of the six-game homestand after hitting just .143, has raised his average to .194. It was Yelich's first three-RBI game since last July 7. He missed the final two months of last season due to back surgery.

"He's just going back to basics," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said following Friday's game. "He knows his flight plan, he knows how he has to swing the bat. Line drives and ground balls are kind of his thing. That's how he's become the MVP and everything else. They lead to other good things."

William Contreras also has been hot, singling to extend his hitting streak to 11. He is hitting .341 (14-for-41) over that span.

Rookie Caleb Durbin, recalled from Triple-A Nashville earlier in the day, went 2-for-4 in his debut. He is expected to be the regular third baseman.

The season has been feast or famine for Milwaukee. In their 11 wins this season, the Brewers have allowed a total of 13 runs. In their nine losses, they have allowed 84 runs.

A's shortstop Jacob Wilson singled Friday and has hit safely in 18 of 19 games, batting .333 with 25 hits. Perhaps more impressively, he has struck out just three times.

Brent Rooker had two hits Friday and is hitting .471 (8-for-17) on the first four games of the current road trip.

Severino took the loss in his most recent start last Sunday when the A's fell 8-0 to the New York Mets, despite allowing just one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

"I thought Sevy did a great job," A's manager Mark Kotsay said afterward. "Obviously, you want that type of start from him. I was pleased with how he went about it. It's never easy to go against your former team with all the emotion, I'm sure."

Severino, who pitched his first eight seasons with the Yankees, was 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts last season with the Mets.

Severino is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts vs. Milwaukee.

The A's shuffled their bullpen before Friday's game, recalling left-hander Jacob Lopez from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioning right-hander Jason Alexander. Lopez was used immediately, allowing two unearned runs in 1 1/3 innings in the loss.