Anderson gives Crew much-needed solid start

PITTSBURGH -- With the Brewers’ rotation depleted due to injuries, an off-day on Thursday will help. What will likely help even more is the way Chase Anderson has been pitching and the way the bullpen is stepping up in different spots.

After beginning the year in the 'pen, Anderson has become somewhat of a de facto ace of Milwaukee’s depth-starved pitching staff. He proved that again as he went 5 2/3 innings in Tuesday’s 4-3 win as the Brewers pushed him to complete six innings. That goal may seem like a minor victory, but dig into Anderson’s season a bit and the big picture becomes clearer.

Anderson has just two six-inning turns on the year. With their depleted rotation, the Brewers may be eyeing bullpen days in the near future, just as they are with Wednesday’s series finale against the Pirates, which Drew Pomeranz will start.

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If Anderson, who is usually halted somewhere in the third time through the order, can work his way through the sixth with continued success, the burden would be lifted off the bullpen. And on Tuesday, manager Craig Counsell was looking to have Anderson go and go and go if possible.

“He was at 60 pitches going into the sixth,” Counsell said. “So I was hoping he could get through seven, really. I thought he had a good chance to maybe go throw eight innings. He threw the ball really well.”

Anderson hasn’t averaged as long of starts as others like Zach Davies and Brandon Woodruff, but he’s managed to string together a stretch of nine starts in which he’s allowed two or fewer runs.

“That’s a very impressive run and very consistent, and that’s what Chase has been for us,” Counsell said. “He’s been very, very consistent. Good effort keeping us in games every time out, giving us a chance every time out. He did it again tonight.”

Beginning the year in the bullpen was a role Anderson embraced, but he also saw it as adversity to get back to the starting role he believed he deserved. And even though the stats don’t look too different from last year to this one, the feeling does.

“Last year, I was kind of battling that and wasn’t able to locate the pitches like I wanted to,” Anderson said. “Leaving the ball out over the plate to right-handed hitters, and they put it in the seats. It was very frustrating. But this year, my rhythm, tempo, mechanics -- I feel like they’re on point for the most part, and I’m able to execute my pitches on a consistent basis.”

Anderson’s continued success would also be a help to the offense. Lorenzo Cain could see time off after sustaining a bruised left knee after a foul ball had him hobbling in his first at-bat. Christian Yelich was rested on Tuesday as the Brewers try to keep his back issues quiet, but it’s uncertain if this could affect him for more than one day.

And the bullpen is going to be relied on more and more over the coming week with Davies on the injured list alongside six other Brewers pitchers. Counsell opted for Jake Faria to pitch high-leverage innings in the seventh and eighth with Milwaukee up by just a run, and he worked around baserunners in both innings to send it to the ninth.

“That’s a tight ballgame,” Faria said, “so it’s nice to know they have the confidence in me to let me go out there, especially with runners on, and keep attacking hitters.”

“Tough innings, high-leverage stuff in your debut with your new team,” Counsell said. “Not easy stuff. He did an excellent job.”

To save Josh Hader for a sweep scenario, Matt Albers came in for the save and scuffled, allowing a run in the first two batters faced. But once again, the bullpen hung on for a win without running through too many options.

That gives Counsell plenty of options for Wednesday’s bullpen day that the Brewers hope turns this road trip from a crushing 1-5 start into a confidence-boosting sweep.

“For us to come out strong and finish this road trip with a sweep would be really good,” Anderson said. “Going home with an off-day, and then starting a series back at home and getting back on a roll again. So tomorrow’s a big day for us.”