August 3, 2024; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Aaron Civale (32) during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park Pitching during the game. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports August was kind to Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Jimenez.
Jimenez is 16-for-48 (.333) in 13 games this month and will try to help Cleveland win its sixth straight game when the Guardians open a three-game series with the host Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Jimenez had three hits and drove in three runs in Cleveland's 6-1 victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Wednesday and had Thursday off. It was Gimenez's fifth multi-hit performance in August.
“He's trying to run the ball right now,” Guardians head coach Stephen Vogt said. “When he's at his best, he works hard with the ball. He's very important for us. Made two big plays for us (Wednesday). That's the game.”
Thanks in large part to Jimenez, Cleveland is averaging 4.8 points in five straight games.
Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (2-4, 4.38 ERA) was happy to get more run support when he made his ninth start Friday.
In his most recent outing, Williams allowed one run on four hits in six innings on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, 2-1.
“The way he walked in, I could tell he was ready,” Vogt said of Williams' attitude before the game against Minnesota. “The way he got on the bus, the way he got here, he seemed to carry himself differently…man, he was special.”
Williams has never faced Milwaukee.
The Brewers will turn to right-hander Aaron Civale (3-8, 5.02 ERA), who beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 on August 9. Scored 2 runs and 5 hits in the inning in that outing.
Civale spent his first 4 1/2 major league seasons with the Guardians before being traded to Tampa Bay in July 2023. The team went 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in six starts.
Sibal made his only start against the Guardians on August 11, 2023, allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings.
Like Cleveland, Milwaukee has reason to be optimistic. The Brewers came from behind to defeat the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday. Milwaukee scored three runs in the eighth inning to split the four-game series.
Jackson Chourio kept things hot for Milwaukee, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double. He's batting .365 (35-for-96) with six homers, 18 RBIs and 17 runs since the All-Star break and is riding a modest four-game winning streak.
The Brewers entered Friday's game nine games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, who were tied for second in the National League Central.
With just 41 games left in the regular season, Milwaukee will soon need to start turning its attention to the postseason, but Brewers coach Ozzie Timmons insists the club is not going too far.
“I don't think these guys are paying attention to (the standings),” Timmons said.
Milwaukee has been strong of late, rallying twice in the final two games of the series against Los Angeles. The Brewers overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit to win 5-4 on Wednesday.
“That's the name of the game, keep going,” Brewers first baseman/designated hitter Jake Bowles said Wednesday. “As cliche as it sounds, it's really big.”
–Scene-level media