LDN - Sports

Preview: Cardinals at Brewers

[August 01, 2017] The Milwaukee Brewers are mired in quite the funk, with losses in 11 of their last 14 to relinquish their spot atop the National League Central in addition to setting a franchise record by going hitless in their last 31 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Brewers attempt to stop the bleeding on Tuesday as they open a pivotal three-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

"A week without a hit with runners in scoring position, that's not really acceptable. We have to find a way to cash in on those opportunities," Travis Shaw said after Milwaukee's 4-2 loss to the first-place Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The 27-year-old has done his part with three homers, five RBIs and five runs scored over his last eight games and is 3-for-6 with a homer and three RBIs in his career versus Tuesday starter Carlos Martinez. While the Brewers have tumbled to 2 1/2 games behind Chicago, the Cardinals (52-53) have ascended to 4 1/2 in back of the Cubs with wins in five of their last seven to reside one victory shy of evening their record. Jose Martinez recorded a career-high three RBIs in Sunday's 3-2 triumph over Arizona and has gone deep twice with six RBIs against Milwaukee this season.

TV: 7:40 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (7-8, 3.52 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (8-5, 3.38)

Martinez allowed five runs for the third time in five July starts on Wednesday, but walked away with the victory after striking our eight in a 10-5 triumph over Colorado. The 25-year-old Dominican will look for a fresh start versus Milwaukee, against which he owns a 5-2 mark with a 1.75 ERA in 21 career appearances. Martinez is 1-1 versus the Brewers this season after permitting five runs in as many innings in a 7-5 setback on April 20 and yielding one unearned run on four hits in 7 1/3 frames of a 2-1 victory two weeks later.

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Nelson has answered a three-game winning streak with an 0-1 mark over his last three trips to the mound. The 28-year-old settled for his second hard-luck no-decision in that span after allowing two runs on four hits and striking out 10 in seven innings at Washington on Wednesday. Nelson owns an 0-8 mark with a 7.01 ERA in 11 career games against St. Louis, including a six-walk performance in a 6-4 setback on April 23.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis SS Paul DeJong is 1-for-9 in his last three contests on the heels of a seven-game hitting streak.

2. Milwaukee reacquired RHP Jeremy Jeffress from Texas prior to Monday's trade deadline. The reliever was shipped to the Rangers along with C Jonathan Lucroy at last year's trade deadline.

3. Cardinals OF Stephen Piscotty, who has been sidelined with a groin injury, completed a short rehab stint with Single-A Peoria and is expected to return to the team on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Brewers 3, Cardinals 2

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