Leading the league in ERA

The Missions' scoreless innings streak will live to see another day.
After holding the opposition scoreless for 17 straight innings to close a road series at Nashville on Monday, the ball club returned to San Antonio on Tuesday for a day off.
The Missions got another day off on Wednesday when rain drenched the local area, washing out the opener of a five-game home series against the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
As a result, a doubleheader is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Wolff Stadium.
Missions pitching leads the Pacific Coast League in earned run average (3.94) and ranks fifth among 30 teams in Triple-A after holding Nashville to five runs in a recent four-game set.
"You know, our starters have been really, really good," Missions manager Rick Sweet said. "It was our bullpen that was really struggling.   (But) our bullpen is starting to round out (into form) like I said it would, and it is.
"We're starting to get guys in positions where they're comfortable and doing the jobs that they have to do."
Just in time.
Over the course of a road trip that started last week at Memphis and concluded at Nashville, adversity hit when starters Aaron Wilkerson and Adrian Houser - two of the mainstays in the first few weeks of the season -- were called up to the major leagues.
Houser has returned to the Missions after one start in Milwaukee.
But he isn't in the rotation in this series against Oklahoma City, as Sweet will go with Burch Smith and Bubba Derby in Thursday's doubleheader, followed by Zack Brown on Friday and Corbin Burnes on Saturday.
The team's starter for Sunday remains unannounced. Sweet said he might know more within a few days on what he will do in Game 5 against the Dodgers.
What he does know is that pitchers in the bullpen, who were maddeningly inconsistent early, have found a rhythm.
"They have," Sweet said. "Part of that is spring training. They'll throw an inning and sit two or three days. It's just not enough work."
Another factor is that Sweet and pitching coach Fred Dabney have started to get a better feel for how to utilize the talent.
"We didn't know them well enough (to) really know them and what situations to put 'em in, and we're finding that out now," Sweet said.
The 17-inning scoreless streak started on Sunday when Jon Olczak came on to relieve Brown in the sixth at Nashville.
Olczak allowed one hit and struck out two.
In the top of the seventh, the Missions failed to score, and they lost 3-1 to the Sounds in the first game of a doubleheader.
In the second game, they blanked Nashville 6-0 in another seven-inning contest, followed by a 5-0 decision against the Sounds in a standard nine-inning game on Monday afternoon.
Buoyed by the shutout performances, the Missions won the series against the Sounds, 3-1, and split six games on the road trip.
"We've been lucky to pitch well the last couple of games," Olczak said. "In the bullpen, we got a lot of great guys - a lot of guys that are fun to talk to, with experience in the big leagues. It's a pretty cool experience."
As Sweet will tell you, the bullpen has been the story of late.
A group that once had a combined ERA in the stratosphere has strung together 12 straight scoreless innings on its own.
During that stretch, which started on Saturday at Nashville, Missions relievers have allowed only eight hits and one walk while striking out 17.
Participants in the bullpen streak include closer Jay Jackson, plus Deolis Guerra, Olczak, Josh Fields, Taylor Williams, Michael Tonkin, Miguel Sanchez and Tristan Archer.
Jackson, 31, has made two one-inning appearances in the stretch.
Utilizing a 94-mph fastball and breaking pitches that bite hard to the corners, the former standout in Japan's pro league struck out three Nashville batters Saturday and then added two more in nailing down the Missions' victory on Monday night.
"He's been exciting," Sweet said. "His velocity has really picked up since spring training. That's because he was a little bit late coming into spring training. He's just got to get into playing shape, and he's there now."
Jackson said he left Japan on Feb. 13 and reported to spring training in Phoenix on the same day.
"Spring training, it was a little grind," he said, "because, my body didn't feel like it got all synched up until about the last two weeks."
He said the travel and hectic schedule took its toll.
"(With) my body, it took a while, because I didn't have time to rest like you normally do when you travel (overseas), just right in there the next day, working out, throwing," he said. "Once my body got in tune, the transition was pretty easy. Then, it was just playing baseball."
It also helped Jackson's mindset when his wife and four-month-old son joined him in San Antonio.
"(There) has been a lot going on, but it's all good things," Jackson said. "Signing with the Brewers. Trying to help this team in San Antonio. Hopefully helping the big team win a World Series. Having my son (and) making sure all the transitions and stuff are going well.
"It's been a lot. But it's been a lot of fun."
Missions notes
Jackson notched his first save as a pro in San Antonio in 2015 when he was with the Padres. He went on to pitch three seasons in Japan for Hiroshima.
Utility man Tyler Saladino has been called up to the major leagues. He came off the bench to play in left field for the Brewers at St. Louis on Wednesday. Saladino led the Missions in home runs (six) and slugging percentage (.690).
Third baseman Lucas Erceg is day to day with a sore hip after jamming it late in Monday's road trip finale at Nashville. Sweet said the team's batting leader may play in one of the games against the Dodgers on Thursday.
The Round Rock Express (11-7) held a one-game lead over the Missions and New Orleans Baby Cakes (both 10-8) in the PCL's American Southern Division leading into Wednesday night. Oklahoma City (7-11) is the other team in the division.
New Orleans opened a series at Round Rock.