Brewers host Cardinals, aim to lock down NL Central
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[September 26, 2023]
The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to right-hander Adrian Houser
as they try to clinch the NL Central title at home against the St.
Louis Cardinals on Tuesday in the opener of the three-game series.
Houser (7-4, 4.35 ERA) will be opposed by left-hander Zack Thompson
(5-7, 4.57 ERA) in a rematch of last Wednesday's starters in a game
won by Milwaukee 8-2.
The Brewers lead the Chicago Cubs by six games with six to play.
Milwaukee can clinch its fourth NL Central title, and first since
2021, with a victory or a Cubs loss. Chicago opens a three-game
series against NL East champion Atlanta on Tuesday before closing
the regular season with three games in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee (88-68) has clinched a playoff spot, but missed a chance
to secure the division title on the road, dropping two straight at
Miami, including a 6-1 loss on Sunday. Brewers starter Freddy
Peralta, who was 6-1 with a 1.96 ERA in his previous 10 starts, was
battling a recent illness and lasted just three innings, allowing
four runs on nine hits.
"There's no reason to be disappointed right now," Brewers manager
Craig Counsell said. "We put ourselves in a great position. There's
no reason to be disappointed."
With Sunday's loss, the Brewers are 74-16 when scoring four runs or
more, and 14-52 when scoring three or fewer. Milwaukee, 23-11 in its
past 34 games, is 6-4 this season vs. St Louis.
In their four losses to St. Louis this season, the Brewers have
scored a total of one run, being shut out three times.
St. Louis lost at San Diego 12-2 on Sunday. The Cardinals (68-88)
are last in the NL Central, 20 games behind Milwaukee.
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"We have quite a bit of young guys out there today
and every day," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. "So, you're
going to have games that look like this, unfortunately."
Houser will be making his third start since coming off the 15-day
injured list (right elbow effusion). He is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in
his last two outings, allowing three runs over 11 innings.
Houser is 4-1 with a 4.19 ERA over his past seven
starts. He allowed one run in six innings in last week's win over
St. Louis.
"He got locked in and threw six good innings," Counsell said after
Houser's last start, which included nine ground-ball outs. "That's
when you know it's good. That's right out of his playbook that has
success for him."
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He is 5-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 15 career appearances, including 12
starts, against the Cardinals.
Thompson took the loss against Milwaukee in his last start, allowing
four runs on five hits in five innings, including a three-run homer
in the first inning to Josh Donaldson.
Thompson is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA in five games against Milwaukee,
including one start. He has not allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings in
three relief appearances at American Family Field.
- Field Level Media
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