MILWAUKEE – Adrian Houser grabbed the mound Saturday at American Family Field and grabbed the edge of the area with a plume for a strike called against Tommy Edman. It was the beginning of things to come.
Houser filled the strike zone in a 4-0 win over the Cardinals, securing a three-hit close for the Brewers ’first full nine-inning since Jimmy Nelson scored the distance against the Reds on Father’s Day on 2017, and its first closure since Kyle Lohse canceled the Reds in September 2014.
It was a big step forward for Houser, the 28-year-old Oklahoman who had hit one hitter and walked with another with the bases loaded on his previous start, a 6-4 loss to Minnesota Brewers, in which Houser went being charged with five won runs in five innings and threw 59 percent of his throws for attacks. One week later, he threw 76 of his 100 pitches for attacks and launched first-tone attacks on 25 of the 29 batters he faced.