(Photo credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)

The Milwaukee Brewers will look to continue their second-half surge behind rookie left-hander Shane Drohan when the Colorado Rockies visit on Friday to open a three-game series.

Drohan (5-3, 3.20 ERA) will be opposed by right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (9-4, 4.76), who'll make his second start since needing a stint on the injured list due to back spasms.

Both Milwaukee and Colorado were idle Thursday.

The NL Central-leading Brewers improved to 5-1 since the break with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday at home over the New York Mets. Joey Ortiz continued his recent hot hitting with a single, double and two-run triple while starter Logan Henderson allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.

The Rockies wrapped up their six-game homestand with an 8-0 loss to Washington on Wednesday, managing just six hits against Nationals starter Cade Cavalli and two relievers.

Milwaukee, one-half game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the majors, has a seven-game division lead over the Cubs. Colorado is in last place in the NL West, 24 1/2 games behind the frontrunning Dodgers.

Ortiz, who lost his starting shortstop job when highly touted prospect Cooper Pratt was called up from Triple-A on June 16, has hit .333 (19-for-57) in July with four doubles, three homers and nine RBI. He has raised his average from .188 at the end of May to .239 while his OPS has jumped from .518 to .662 over the same span.

Drohan picked up the win his last time out, allowing three runs and fanning a career-high nine over six innings in an 8-6 victory over Miami. He gave up three runs in the second inning, but none the rest of the way as he retired the final nine hitters he faced and 13 of the last 14.

'He didn't get discouraged, he got better,' said Brewers manager Pat Murphy. 'He's just a great competitor, he cares, he's a teammate. The guys love him.'

Drohan, making his 11th start and 21st appearance, moved into the rotation at the beginning of June. He is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA as a starter.

Drohan has faced the Rockies once this season, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings to get the win in a 12-4 road victory on June 7.

Infielder David Hamilton, who began a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday, could rejoin the Brewers on Friday.

Sugano, mentioned as a potential trade target for contenders, has become the first Rockies starter with nine victories since Austin Gomber in 2023.

Sugano is 5-1 in his last seven starts despite a 6.08 ERA over that span. He picked up the win in five of his last six starts, the first Rockies starter to do so since Gomber in 2021.

Sugano won his last start, allowing three runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings in a 10-3 home victory over Cincinnati. He struck out three without a walk in his first outing since June 26.

'I saw excellent fastball command, I saw strong velo, splitter was really good, he gave us just what we needed,' Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game. 'Typical Tomo Sugano stuff. He was great today.'

Sugano faced the Brewers once last season when he was with Baltimore -- allowing two runs on five hits in six innings -- but did not get the decision in an 8-4 road victory.

Opponents are batting .268 against Sugano, who has given up 18 homers in 90 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media