Washington Nationals: 5 to watch versus the Milwaukee Brewers
By Ron Juckett
ZACH DAVIES
When the leading winner on the pitching staff has an ERA close to five, you have troubles. Zach Davies is in search of his 12th win Tuesday with an ERA of 4.76.
Another member of the Brewers tremendous young core, Davies pitches through growing pains. One night, he shuts down offenses and others make him look like Charlie Brown on the hill.
He is a contact pitcher who allows too much. Yet, Davies has won his last four decisions and is 11-4 overall. In 20 starts, the Brewers are 13-7. On June 4, he held the Los Angeles Dodgers off the scoreboard for six innings. Not an easy task.
Three starts later, the Pirates lit him up for seven over five innings and the Phillies put five earned runs on the board over 5.1 and Milwaukee still won.
Davies is not a pitcher who draws swings and misses. Twice this year has he drawn double-digits there. Seven is his season-high in strikeouts. If the Nats can be patient at the plate, the potential is there for a field day.
Again, whatever the Brewers do this year is gravy. Although Davies lacks what most see as a proven ace, his WHIP of 1.486 scares no one, he wins games. No matter what you think of the win stat, he has positive results 73.3 percent of the time this year.
It works.