Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 5, 2013 ) St. Louis 10, Milwaukee 1
The Milwaukee Brewers already have slipped 9 1/2 games out of first place in the National League Central, and their struggles against the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals are a big reason for their place in the standings. The Cardinals will try to continue their dominance against their division rivals when the Brewers travel to Busch Stadium to begin a three-game series on Friday night. St. Louis has won six of seven meetings this season, including a four-game sweep in Milwaukee earlier this month.
That was part of a recent hot stretch for the Cardinals, who have won 12 of their past 15 games to open a 1 1/2-game lead over Cincinnati in the division. St. Louis dropped a 5-2 decision to the New York Mets on Thursday. The Brewers have slid into the division cellar after losing 12 of their last 14. Milwaukee, which is 1-6 on its current road trip after a 7-1 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday, is 6-12 away from home this season.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Wily Peralta (3-3, 5.40 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (4-2, 2.88)
Peralta has recorded quality starts in four of his last five trips to the mound, but the exception was an outing against the Cardinals in which he was touched for six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Peralta took the loss his last time out, giving up four runs (three earned) over six innings in a 5-1 defeat at Cincinnati. Peralta is making his second career start against St. Louis and his first at Busch Stadium.
Garcia had a personal three-start winning streak snapped his last time out, as Colorado got to him for five runs over six innings to hand the southpaw his first loss since April 19. Garcia has been outstanding in two starts against the Brewers this season, tossing seven scoreless frames in a no-decision on April 14 and pitching eight innings of one-run ball on May 5.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee SS Jean Segura went 2-for-4 Thursday for his NL-best 18th multi-hit game.
2. Garcia is 5-3 with a 2.75 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) against Milwaukee. He is 2-2 against the Brewers at Busch Stadium, including a two-hit shutout in 2011.
3. Brewers 3B/1B Yuniesky Betancourt is 5-for-12 with a home run against Garcia.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Brewers 3