The top two teams in the NL Central will begin a critical three-game series on Friday night at Busch Stadium with the Milwaukee Brewers visiting the St. Louis Cardinals. Milwaukee is 0.5 games out of the division lead with a 60-50 record after earning a two-game sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays, capped by a 4-3 win on Wednesday as a -154 favorite. St. Louis is just ahead at 61-50, but dropped two of three to the Colorado Rockies including an 8-6 defeat on Thursday at -101 odds.
This has been a competitive rivalry in 2022 with the season series tied at six wins apiece.
After a rough stretch following the trade deadline to lose the NL Central lead, the Brewers got back on track with two wins over the Rays this week including a late rally to triumph on Wednesday. Mike Brosseau and Keston Hiura both hit RBi singles to get Milwaukee off to a fast start in the first before Tampa Bay fought back to take the lead, but the Brewers got a clutch homer from Rowdy Tellez in the ninth and Willy Adames' run-scoring singles won it in the 10th.
Starter Brandon Woodruff went seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits and no walks while striking out five. Devin Williams earned the win with a scoreless frame, stranding the bonus runner in extras. Hunter Renfroe was on base three times to pace the offense.
“I’ve played against him a couple times. I don’t think I’ve ever got a hit. I think I struck out every single time,  1D; Tellez said to MLB.com about squaring off with Tampa Bay pitcher Colin Poche in the ninth. “Really, in that 3-2 count, really just wanted to see something up in the zone and try to hit a ball the other way, hit a line drive, just get on base, start off the inning. I was able to put a good swing on it. The ball carried out.”
Milwaukee is down a significant number on the money line for the season while going just 46-64 on the run line. Overs are 54-47-9 for the Brewers, and only one of their last five games has gone over the betting total.
The Brewers are comfortably within the top 10 in scoring at 4.64 runs per game on a strong .739 team OPS. Milwaukee pitching has also been solidly above average with a 3.85 collective ERA including a mark of 3.93 out of the bullpen.
Hiura, a former top prospect who has struggled for the most part in the Majors, could be having a breakout season with an .841 OPS, 10 homer s and 21 driven in across 47 games. Adames leads the Brewers with 2.7 WAR, posting a .704 OPS with 22 homers and 64 driven in.
Eric Lauer will take the mound for the 21st time this season, having turned in a solid campaign with an 8-8 record and 3.59 ERA across 112.2 innings of work. The 27-year-old went seven strong innings to beat the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, allowing one run on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Utilityman Jace Peterson (sprained elbow) is out, and Milwaukee is thin at catcher with Omar Narvaez (strained quad) and Alex Jackson (sprained finger). Starting pitcher Adrian Houser is recovering from a strained flexor tendon. The bullpen is down Jake Cousins (elbow effusion), Jandel Gustave (forearm discomfort), Trevor Rosenthal (strained hamstring), Miguel Sanchez (elbow discomfort), Justin Topa (flexor tendon surgery) and J.C. Mejia (PED suspension).