Royals' Rookie Avila Starts vs Brewers

0:00It's April 3rd, this is Milwaukee Brewers News today, your AI-powered team coverage. Royals have wrapped up one week of baseball, holding steady at even after five wins and five losses. Their bats have been quiet most games, but they've dodged too many defeats early on. Now they face a real test against the Brewers, who snuck into the NLCS last year and keep surprising folks despite low preseason hype. And tonight's opener, Rookie Lewender Avala, steps up for his first big league start. He impressed in relief last September, with a 1.49 ERA over 13 outings, and the skipper saw starter upside in him during spring. Michael Walk is out sick, so Avila gets the nod, while Bayley Falter hits the injured list after a rough 9th inning Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Brewers hand the ball to Chad Patrick for his second start this season. The 27-year-old sophomore tossed 4.1 solid innings in his debut against the White Sox, and he shut down the Royals last year with 4.2 scoreless.

1:01He leans heavy on fastball variations, but his cutter chases hitters, even if it's a bit slow. Line-up shakes up too, with Carter Jensen riding the bench after oversleeping yesterday. Starling Marta returns after exactly one week sideline since opening day, that bumps shot Caglianoe to the 5th spot, and Nick Lofton slides in over Jonathan India, who's struggling with too many pop-ups early. Royals could feast if they stay patient at the plate, testing Patrick's command issues that plagued him before. This match upsets the tone for a gritty series ahead.