Monday begins a highly anticipated three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers have fallen off lately, down to 67-63 on the season, but are still only 4.5 games behind the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.
The Cardinals are turning it up at the perfect time. The Cubs and Brewers have been mediocre in the last couple weeks, and St Louis has really capitalized. They just swept a four-game series against the Rockies and have won seven of their last eight games overall. This season, the Cardinals hold a slight edge over the Brewers, winning seven of the 13 games the teams have played against each other.
Probable Pitchers
For the Cardinals, Adam Wainwright will take the ball for the 25th time this season and his 310th time as a Cardinal. He’s 9-9 on the season with a 4.51 earned run average and should eclipse the double-digit win mark for the 10th time in his career.
Wainwright has started twice against the Brewers already this season, including his last time out on August 21. He went five innings and gave up five runs on eight hits while striking out only two and walking four. A performance that isn’t much like Wainwright as that’s only the fourth time this season he’s walked more batters than he’s struck out. However, he does walk his fair share of batters, with a 3.69 BB/9.
His other start against the Brewers went more in his favor on April 24. He went six innings and only gave up one run and struck out three while only walking one. That game ended better for the Cardinals as well as Wainwright picked up the win in a 5-2 game.
For the Brewers, Gio Gonzalez will make his 13th start of the season. Gonzalez missed the entire month of June with an injury but since coming back has been an integral part in the Brewers rotation that has otherwise been not that great. He hasn’t recorded a decision since May 21 but still holds a 2-1 record accompanied by a 3.64 ERA.
His last time out was against these very Cardinals, where he went five innings and only gave up one run while striking out six. However, when he exited the game, the bullpen gave up eight runs, so Gonzalez was hit with a no-decision.
Batters To Watch
The Cardinals aren’t a great hitting team, only 21st in the league in average and 23rd in home runs. Someone they could use to get going is Marcell Ozuna. He has shown the potential to bat in the .280s, even eclipsing the .310 mark one season, and hit 30 home runs. He’s not that far off this season, batting .268 with 24 jacks but has hit only four this month.
I’m really trying to think of a batter for the Brewers to keep an eye out for. Unfortunately, all I can find is some scrub batting .329 with 41 home runs and a wRC+ of 171. Christian Yelich? I’ve never heard of him, but I guess we’ll pick him.
The Pick
Wainwright does not like pitching away from St Louis this season. He has a 6.64 ERA on the road, and that Yelich fellow hits .356 against righties. Take the Brewers.
