Brewers-Marlins Preview
Miami, FL – Hanley Ramirez was recently benched for failing to hustle. The Florida Marlins star has had no such issues when facing the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ramirez will try to extend a lengthy hitting streak against Milwaukee on Tuesday night when the Marlins and Brewers continue a four-game set.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com have made the Brewers –105 money line favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Marlins. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 86% of more than X bets for this game have been placed on the Brewers -105.
The shortstop was benched for one game after accidentally kicking a ball and then lightly jogging after it, allowing two runs to score in a loss to Arizona on May 17. After ripping manager Fredi Gonzalez, Ramirez later apologized and rejoined the lineup.
With a 13-5 win over the Brewers on Monday, Florida (26-26) has gone 5-7 since then, but all the blame for that record cannot be placed on Ramirez. Last year’s NL batting champion has hit .304 with four multihit games over that stretch.
Ramirez is hitting .436 (24 for 55) during a 14-game hitting streak versus the Brewers and .402 in his career against them. He’s batting .295 overall after going 1 for 5 on Monday, but Florida got plenty of production elsewhere after trailing 4-0 early.
Cody Ross’ three-run homer sparked a seven-run sixth inning, and Cameron Maybin later added a two-run inside-the-park homer to help the Marlins win their second straight after Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay pitched a perfect game against them.
"For the first five innings or whatever it was, it looked like the same old team that’s been playing the last few days. And then all of a sudden, we score seven," Ross said. "That’s what makes our game so beautiful. You can be down and out, and the next thing you know, you feel like you’re on top of the world and nobody can get you out. It’s mind boggling."
Ramirez has three hits in nine career at-bats against Dave Bush (1-5, 5.05 ERA), who will try for his first win in six weeks for Milwaukee.
Since beating Pittsburgh on April 20, the right-hander is 0-5 with a 6.55 ERA in seven starts. In his most recent road outing May 21, Bush was tagged for seven runs and six hits in one-third of an inning in a 15-3 loss to Minnesota.
He bounced back Thursday against Houston, allowing two unearned runs and four hits over five innings. Milwaukee (21-30) rallied for a 4-3 win in 10.
Bush is 1-3 with a 6.65 ERA in four career road starts versus Florida.
He has gone past the sixth inning twice in 10 appearances this year, and Milwaukee will hope for a long outing from Bush given how poorly its bullpen has pitched.
Brewers relievers yielded eight runs for the second straight game Monday, raising the bullpen’s ERA to 6.17. Only the Diamondbacks have a higher ERA from their relievers.
Ricky Nolasco (4-4, 4.65) will try to avoid losing his third consecutive start for Florida. The right-hander has surrendered 11 runs over 9 1-3 innings in his last two appearances.
Nolasco lasted a season low-tying four innings Thursday against Atlanta and allowed three runs and eight hits in the 8-3 defeat.
He’s 0-1 with an 11.81 ERA in three career starts at home versus Milwaukee.
Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks is 4 for 5 with a homer in his career against Nolasco. He had two hits and two RBIs Monday and is hitting .367 with three homers and eight RBIs over the last week.
Posted: 6/1/10 11:52PM ET