The Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals continue their crucial three-game weekend series in St. Louis as the two NL Central Division powers jockey for position atop the division. Heading into the series opener, the Cardinals are 11-6 since the all-star break while the Brewers have gone 10-7. The pitching matchup on Saturday will be 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes (8-4, 2.45) of the Brewers taking on 2x 20-game winner Adam Wainwright (8-8, 3.42) of the Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm EST.
The Milwaukee Brewers come into this series just off the pace in the NL Central Division, a 1/2 game behind the Cardinals. Both teams made moves around the trade deadline to strengthen their teams and each team has a nearly identical record since the all-star break. The Brewers come into the series after winning two-straight games over the Tampa Bay Rays to sweep their brief two-game series. On Friday night, the Brewers battled one of the newest Cardinals, left-hander Jordan Montgomery. The Brewers were shut out in six excellent innings of work by Montgomery and dropped a 3-1 decision in the opener. Milwaukee now trails the Cardinals by a 1 1/2 games in the NL Central.
Two games, two wins.
That's how you end a homestand.#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/XATdHYTiWK
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 12, 2022
The Brewers are hitting .265 as a team since the all-star break and averaging 5.3 runs per game. The Brewers offense has followed a similar pattern after the all-star break, belting 29 home runs in the 17 games as the BrewCrew continues to rely on timely hitting and power to produce runs. In game two of the series, the Brewers will send their ace to the mound, Corbin Burnes. Burnes leads the team in quality starts with an impressive 16 in his 22 starts this season. He also leads the team in innings pitched, strikeouts, K/9, WHIP, WAR and ERA. He is 1-1 in his last five starts allowing 20 hits in 29.2 innings pitched. Burnes has also struck out 12.44 per nine innings during this stretch.