With Jesus Aguilar being in the right form and Ryan Braun and slumping in the National League, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell was not left with any other option and had to make the change. Hence, for the first time since the year 2014, Braun found himself to be hitting fifth in the Counsell’s lineup on Monday against St. Louis and will mostly be again in that situation on Tuesday night when the three-game series with the St Louis Cardinals is played at the Miller Park.
Counsell said, “Jesus has been probably as hot as any hitter in baseball for the last couple of weeks. Ryan’s just off the DL. So, right now this is kind of, to me, the best construction for us. Quite frankly, Ryan had the same idea because of what Jesus has been doing. So, he was very cool with it.”
Braun has been even cooler with it and going 3 for 3 with a double, one RBI, three runs and a walk scored in Milwaukee’s 8-3 win on Monday afternoon. The three hits made by him tied a season hit on April 25, which also marked the last time that Braun made a multi-hit game.
Braun said, “It doesn’t change much, but the innings you’d typically get your at-bats in is a little bit different. I’ve been unlucky hitting third this season, so maybe moving to fifth changed my luck a little bit.”
Braun has reached the base in five straight games since the time he returned from the 10-day disabled list. He has recorded five home runs and 22 RBIs in this season but is batting at just .245. On the other hand, the 26-year-old Michael Wacha has held opponents to two runs or even less in his last seven starts.
