Brewers vs. Cardinals Preview
ST. LOUIS, MO (AP) – Pitchers on both the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals have flirted with no-hitters in the first two games of their weekend series. It’s doubtful either of Sunday’s scheduled starters will be in such a position.
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Chris Narveson will take the mound for Milwaukee opposite St. Louis’ Kyle McClellan as the teams wrap up their set at Busch Stadium.
On Friday, Jaime Garcia carried a perfect game into the eighth inning for St. Louis (19-15), and settled for a two-hitter in a 6-0 win. The Brewers’ Yovani Gallardo nearly joined Detroit’s Justin Verlander in throwing a no-hitter Saturday, allowing just a leadoff single in the eighth, and Milwaukee (14-19) snapped a season-high seven-game skid with a 4-0 victory.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Cardinals -130 money line favorites for Sunday’s game against the Brewers. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 94% of more than 370 bets for this game have been placed on the Cardinals -130.
The Brewers scored just seven runs and were blanked three times during their losing streak.
“This week was tough for all of us,” said Gallardo, whose no-no was broken up by Daniel Descalso.
Kyle Lohse was solid for St. Louis, allowing one run in eight innings, but the NL Central leaders fell at home to Milwaukee for the third time in four games.
“It doesn’t really matter if we scored 10 runs or no runs, I’m trying to throw zeros,” Lohse said. “It doesn’t change the fact that I’m out there trying to throw the best game I could.”
While pitching has dominated this series, neither Narveson (1-2, 4.64 ERA) nor McClellan (4-0, 3.79) has the kind of track record to indicate a likely no-hit bid.
Narveson has zero complete games in 39 major league starts since breaking in with St. Louis in 2006. McClellan, a converted reliever, has allowed no fewer than six hits in five starts since joining the rotation this season.
Narveson has allowed 11 runs and 15 hits in 8 1-3 innings while dropping his last two starts. Facing Houston last Sunday, he gave up four runs and seven hits, stuck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in seven innings of a 5-0 loss.
The left-hander is 1-1 with a 3.90 ERA in 10 games, including three starts, against the Cardinals.
McClellan had been 4-0 with a 3.28 ERA in four appearances from April 11-28, but failed to come away with a decision Tuesday against Florida. The right-hander allowed four runs and six hits in five innings of the Cardinals’ 7-5 win.
McClellan is 0-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 22 relief appearances versus the Brewers.
Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun has gone 0 for 7 in the first two games of the series, and is 1 for 18 over his last five contests. Braun is still hitting .309 despite the slump, and is 4 for 10 in his career against McClellan.
St. Louis’ Matt Holliday went 0 for 4 Saturday, halting his hitting streak at 12 games and dropping his NL-best batting average to .394. six points ahead of teammate Lance Berkman, who was 0 for 1 with two walks.
Berkman is 4 for 7 with a homer off Narveson.
Braun and Berkman are tied for second in the NL with 10 homers, one behind Chicago’s Alfonso Soriano.
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