San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller reacted to the claims he was tipping his pitches during his team's Game 2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Miller, one of the best closers in MLB, came in for a six-out save on Sunday and got through the eighth inning easily before running into trouble in the ninth. He walked the bases loaded in the final frame of the game, and All-Star Jackson Chourio lined a single into center to score two runs and give the Brewers a 2-0 series lead.
With the unfamiliar inconsistency from Miller, speculation that he tipped his pitches during the outing arose — especially after Chourio took a pretty convincing 1-2 slider. Despite his shortcomings, though, Miller didn't call foul. The flame-throwing right-hander is confident in his process and doesn't believe the Brewers were doing anything dishonest.
I also have a hard time believing I just magically started doing it.” The Brewers said they didn't notice Miller tipping, though they likely wouldn't say anything right in the middle of the series if they did. And if he was, I wasn't aware of it. I think even if he was and we were aware of it, hitting 104 is not easy by any means.
Hitting a pitcher of that caliber and pitches of that caliber, you know there's nothing easy about that.” Manager Pat Murphy also chimed in with a simple answer to whether or not his team had anything on the All-Star closer. With the Padres now at a 2-0 deficit in the series, they have to win both of their games at Petco Park to force a fifth game at American Family Field after two close contests between themselves and the Brewers. The Padres won each of their three matchups against Milwaukee in San Diego this year, and will look to extend that streak to four in Tuesday's game, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
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