Peralta makes 11 K's 'look effortless' while topping Texas

ARLINGTON -- After a rocky start to the 2023 season, Brewers starter Freddy Peralta has returned to his All-Star form in the month of August.

Entering Saturday’s matchup against the Rangers, Peralta had posted a perfect 3-0 record this month, with a 1.89 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 19 innings.

The 27-year-old hurler continued his dominant stretch in a 6-1 victory over Texas at Globe Life Field, cruising through the Rangers' lineup to earn his fourth consecutive win.

“He just made it look effortless,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “The way he commanded his fastball and off-speed [pitches] on the edges, that’s tough to handle.”

Peralta came out of the gates firing, striking out five of the first six batters he faced. Impressively, those five punchouts were all consecutive, as the hard-throwing righty found his groove early after getting Marcus Semien to pop out to lead off the first inning.

It was relatively smooth sailing for Peralta after that, as the Brewers' hurler tossed 5 2/3 innings, compiled 11 strikeouts and yielded just one run in the career-high-tying 109-pitch effort. It was the fifth time this season that the 2021 All-Star posted 10-plus strikeouts in an outing.

“I was just out there trying to compete,” Peralta said. “We know that they have a lot of good hitters, and we have to show them some respect, but I was just trying to make my pitches and get outs. I just believed in myself and in my stuff.”

Peralta’s stellar outing was backed by an equally impressive showing from the Brewers' offense, as the bats have since warmed up after mustering just three runs on 10 hits in this week’s series against the Dodgers.

Carlos Santana put the Brew Crew on the board early, as the 37-year-old belted a solo home run off Dane Dunning in the top of the first inning. The blast traveled a Statcast-projected 392 feet and was Santana’s fourth home run in his past six games.

Despite the hot stretch, Santana noted that it is not a result of any drastic changes at the plate.

“Nothing has changed in my approach,” Santana said. “I just kept working. I kept working on my swing and on my approach. My mentality is to finish strong.”

Since being traded to the Brewers on July 27, Santana has six home runs, the most of any Brewer over that stretch, proving to be a spark plug in the heart of Milwaukee's lineup.

“I feel more comfortable now,” Santana said. “Whatever the manager asks me to do, I’ll do it. I’m just trying to help my team win. So whatever spot [in the lineup] they put me, I’m fine with that.”

Willy Adames also helped carry the offensive load, as the talented infielder went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate -- including a solo home run -- and drove in a pair of runs. After enduring a rough series in Los Angeles, Adames has stood out against the Rangers, compiling seven hits through the first two games of the series.

“It feels amazing,” Adames said of his performance. “It’s been tough lately, but thank God for the past two days. I’ve been working hard and making adjustments trying to get my confidence back. So I’m feeling better and hopefully I can continue to help this team win.”

Saturday’s win helped the Brewers clinch the series victory over the AL West-leading Rangers. It was an encouraging response after having been swept in the three-game series against the Dodgers. With the Brewers clinging to their spot atop the NL Central, each win is pivotal, as they'll need to stay hot while making a push for a division crown.