Preview: Brewers at Cardinals (Game 1)

[June 13, 2017]  Gracenote

The Milwaukee Brewers are just two games over .500 but still sit atop the National League Central. The St. Louis Cardinals are used to being on top in the division and will try to chip away at their deficit when they host the Brewers for a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday to kick off a four-game series.

Milwaukee entered the week as the only team in the NL Central with a winning record despite opening a seven-game road trip by dropping two of three at Arizona. The Brewers' success this season is a surprise to some but not St. Louis manager Mike Matheny, who praised Milwaukee when given the chance. "They're a good team," Matheny told reporters of the Brewers. "They have some pop. They're a dangerous club. They've got guys all the way through the lineup that can hurt you in a hurry and they have some pitching that has come around and a bullpen that's filled holes, and they're playing with confidence." The Cardinals dropped seven straight prior to the weekend but got back on track with a three-game sweep of Philadelphia to start a seven-game homestand.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (4-3, 3.45 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (4-3, 2.88)

Nelson followed up two straight dominant efforts with a solid start and a win against San Francisco on Wednesday in which he allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. The 28-year-old surrendered a total of one run while striking out 21 and not walking a batter in 15 innings in his previous two turns. Nelson's control was not quite as sharp against St. Louis on April 23, when he walked six and was charged with three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings to absorb the loss.

Lynn is struggling to work deep into games of late and did not complete six innings in any of his last three outings. The Ole Miss product only allowed 11 hits in 15 1/3 innings over those three starts and owns a .191 batting average against overall. Lynn went up against Milwaukee on April 22 and breezed through six innings while striking out seven and allowing one run on three hits and two walks.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals C Yadier Molina (back) missed the last three games but is expected to start one of the games on Tuesday.

2. Milwaukee's top prospect OF Lewis Brinson made his major-league debut on Sunday and went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and a stolen base.

3. St. Louis claimed LHP Sean Gilmartin off waivers from the New York Mets on Sunday and assigned him to Triple-A Memphis.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Brewers 2

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