The Milwaukee Brewers look to even up the National League Championship Series on Tuesday when they give the ball to Freddy Peralta for a pivotal Game 2 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s essentially a must-win for the Brewers as the NLCS will shift to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4, and a potential fifth matchup if necessary.
Peralta knows there is a lot of pressure on him but believes he will get a boost from the pro-Brewers crowd at American Family Field.
“I think the fans make a difference for this game,” Peralta said. “And we are just here for the fans and we love the support of each one. And, like I said before, we play this game because we love the game. But it’s way better when we enjoy the crowd every night here.”
Peralta went 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in two starts against the Dodgers during the regular season.
As the right-hander prepares to face them again, he will be mindful of potentially tipping pitches but it’s not something he plans to fixate on.
“I don’t like to think about it, but I understand and I know it’s really important,” Peralta explained. “I think that we have the people here that are in charge to check on us and make sure that we are doing it right.
“But at the end of the day, it’s part of the game and you never know, and they are really good at it. But I think you have to stay focused on the game and try to make it simple and not think too much. That’s it.”
Freddy Peralta recalls Brewers playing Dodgers in NLCS
Peralta made his postseason debut against the Dodgers in the 2018 NLCS, when he appeared out of the bullpen and threw three scoreless innings.
The Brewers did a lot of mixing and matching with their pitching that year, and Peralta sees many similarities with the team’s approach against the Dodgers this time around.
“It feels similar, if I’m not wrong,” Peralta began. “But for sure, without afraid to make a mistake or something, I know that for some reason this team feels different.
“It’s like way better feelings, how we manage everything in the clubhouse, talking about players, it’s different. And I know that Murph and the other coaching staff, they are doing what they think is best for the team.
“I can’t remember how often we used the relievers and starting, back and forth and all that. But I remember that Woody, me, we came from the bullpen multiple times. It feels kind of the same but seven years, eight years ago, I can’t remember a lot of that. But I can remember it was fun.
“So let’s keep it that way.”
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