Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2010 ) Milwaukee 0, St. Louis 8
Less than 24 hours after being dominated by a bonafide starter, the Milwaukee Brewers get a shot at rebounding against a newcomer.
The Brewers look to return to their winning ways at Busch Stadium on Saturday when they face rookie Adam Ottavino and the St. Louis Cardinals.
After winning 13 of its previous 16 games at Busch, Milwaukee was limited to two hits by Adam Wainwright in Friday's 8-0 setback. Rickie Weeks led off the game with a double and Corey Hart added a two-base hit with one out in the second inning before being shut down by Wainwright, who recorded his third complete game of the season and first career shutout.
In fact, following a leadoff walk by Prince Fielder in the fourth, Wainwright retired the final 18 batters he faced in leading St. Louis to its sixth win in eight games overall and eighth in its last 11 at home. The right-hander, who won 19 games last season, has surrendered three earned runs or fewer in 11 of his 12 starts this year.
It marked the major league-leading 16th time this season a Cardinals starter pitched seven or more innings and allowed less than two earned runs.
Ryan Ludwick, Albert Pujols and Colby Rasmus each drove in a pair of runs, with Rasmus belting a two-run homer, his ninth blast of the season.
The Brewers should have a somewhat easier time on Saturday as they face Ottavino, who will be making just his second major league start. In his debut last Saturday, the 24-year old was tagged for four runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
A first-round pick in 2006, Ottavino posted a 4-3 record and 4.17 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Memphis before joining the Cardinals.
Ottavino will be opposed by Chris Narveson, who will be making his first career start against the Cardinals after facing them seven times in relief.
Narveson began the season in Milwaukee's bullpen, making nine appearances before joining the rotation on April 28. The 28-year old left-hander has gone 3-3 as a starter but has lost two straight and three of four.
In his last outing on Monday, Narveson allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 13-5 setback at Florida.
Milwaukee has dropped five of its last six games and is 1-4 on its seven-game road trip. The Brewers are a season-high 11 games under the .500 mark.