Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2019 ) Milwaukee 5, St. Louis 2

The Milwaukee Brewers consistently have proved they don't need reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich in the lineup in order to win, and that ability will be necessary moving forward if they hope to return to the postseason. The Brewers seek their ninth victory in 10 contests on Sunday, when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals for the rubber match of their three-game series.

Milwaukee improved to 3-1 since Yelich suffered his season-ending patella injury and ran its record to 12-5 without him after beating the majors' best pitcher since the All-Star break (Jack Flaherty) for the second time in less than a month on Saturday. Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal each belted a two-run homer in a 5-2 victory as the Brewers climbed within four games of the division-leading Cardinals in the NL Central and remained one behind the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card. St. Louis lost at home for only the fourth time in 21 games, managing only two runs after putting up 10 in each of its previous two contests. Tommy Edman accounted for one of the tallies with a solo homer and has recorded at least one hit in eight of his last nine games.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Chase Anderson (6-4, 4.57 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (6-7, 4.97)

Anderson has completed six innings only twice in 24 starts this season, working exactly four frames in each of his last three outings. The 31-year-old allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in Miami on Tuesday and is 1-2 with a 5.77 ERA in 13 road appearances (11 starts). Yadier Molina (6-for-19, homer) and Marcell Ozuna (7-for-19, homer) have fared well against Anderson, who yielded one run over 3 1/3 frames in two relief outings against the Cardinals in the first month of the season.

Wacha hasn't won any of his nine starts since June 21 despite holding the opposition to fewer than three earned runs seven times, including each of his last six turns. The Texas A&M product suffered his third loss over that span Tuesday in Colorado after permitting two runs over four innings. Wacha has produced two of his better starts of 2019 versus the Brewers, allowing one run in six frames of a no-decision in his season debut on March 31 and two over six innings in a win at Milwaukee on April 17.

WALK-OFFS

1. Grandal has drawn seven walks in his last four games and needs two more to join Prince Fielder as the only players in team history with 100 in a season.

2. St. Louis 1B Paul Goldschmidt has hit eight homers against Milwaukee this year and needs one more on Sunday to break the club record for most in a single season versus the Brewers.

3. Milwaukee 2B Keston Hiura (hamstring) made his first appearance since Aug. 30 on Saturday, striking out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.

PREDICTION: Brewers 5, Cardinals 4