MILWAUKEE -- Yovani Gallardo will start Game 1 for the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL playoffs against Philadelphia, followed by ace CC Sabathia for Game 2.
"I don't know how to explain it. I'm very excited, just ready to go," Gallardo said Monday. "I'm just going to give my team the opportunity to win."
Gallardo returned from a torn knee ligament and pitched four innings last Thursday against Pittsburgh in his first start since May 1. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed one run and three hits while throwing 67 pitches.
"That was huge, everything worked for the best and he threw the heck out of the ball," interim manager Dale Sveum said. "Everything went fine, he recovered and he's ready to go."
Sveum said Gallardo doesn't act like a young pitcher, one of the reason he's confident in giving him the ball Wednesday.
"I think that's the important thing, you've got to take it as another regular baseball game and not try to do anything extra," said Gallardo, who does not expect to be on a pitch count. "You just take it as another extra game and go from there."