Hot-hurling Miley looking to get better of Greinke
Each pitcher starting Saturday night for the Brewers and D-backs is 5-1, but only one of them has the name recognition most would expect with that kind of record.
Wade Miley began the season as the D-backs' long-relief pitcher. Less than two months later, the 25-year-old sits as his team's most productive arm in the rotation, with the fifth-best ERA (2.14) in the Majors among pitchers with qualifying innings.
In his last two outings, the National League Rookie of the Month for April has tossed 13 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run to the Dodgers and Royals.
On the other side, the Brewers will trot out former American League Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to the mound. Since surrendering eight earned runs to the Cubs on April 12 over 3 2/3 innings, the 28-year-old has given up nine earned runs in 46 innings.
He has a 1.33 ERA in the month of May.
Greinke gave up his first walk in 23 innings in his last start on May 20. Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said the right-hander might have been a little off, despite his numbers.
"I don't think he was as sharp as I've seen him," Lucroy said. "But Zack's off day is a good day for a lot of guys, so you really can't say anything about that."
Before this weekend's series, the D-backs and Brewers last met at Chase Field for two exhibition games in the days leading up to Opening Day. The two clubs have a history dating back to last season's NLDS series that went five games, with Milwaukee prevailing at home.
"They're a new team, we're a new team," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said, as both teams have struggled out of the gate in 2012. "I don't really analyze what their problems are, just try to figure out how we can get on track and win more ballgames. We swung the bats decently against the Dodgers."
D-backs: Hudson set for Sunday
Daniel Hudson threw a bullpen session Friday and remains on target to come off the disabled list and start Sunday's finale.
The right-hander has been on the DL with a right shoulder impingement since April 19.
"After I got the injections and the inflammation went down, I never felt it again and I haven't felt it since," Hudson said. "I've never had anything like this happen before, so I was pretty nervous the first time I picked up a ball for the first time afterwards."
