Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2015 ) Milwaukee 1, St. Louis 0

The St. Louis Cardinals have been surviving despite a slumping offense of late but had the lack of clutch hits come back to bite them on Monday. The Cardinals will try to string together some crooked numbers and even the series when they host the Milwaukee Brewers in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.

St. Louis ended May with six wins in its last seven games despite recording three runs or fewer four times in that span. The Cardinals could manage nothing but eight singles against Mike Fiers and a tired Milwaukee bullpen in a 1-0 setback on Monday. The Brewers played 17 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday but found enough energy left over to make Carlos Gomez’s first-inning RBI single stand up. Milwaukee got an emotional boost from star catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who was activated from the disabled list on Monday and is expecting to play nearly every day after fully recovering from a toe injury.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Tyler Cravy (NA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (3-4, 3.41 ERA)

Cravy was recalled on Monday after Sunday’s 17-inning win to supplement the bullpen in case of another long game or bad start. Since he wasn’t needed on Monday, the former 17th-round draft pick will get the start and make his major-league debut on Tuesday. Cravy advanced through three levels last season and made nine starts for Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2015, posting a 5-4 record with a 4.04 ERA.

Lynn is winless in his last two starts and was reached for three runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks in six innings against Arizona on Wednesday. The 28-year-old has only worked more than six innings in three of his 10 starts and surrendered a total of three home runs in the last two turns. Lynn is making his third start of 2015 against Milwaukee and went 1-1 in the first two – winning at home - while allowing a total of seven runs in 10 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday went 1-for-3 with a walk and a single on Monday and has reached base in 45 straight games to begin the season.

2. Milwaukee RF Ryan Braun is 2-for-15 over the last three games.

3. St. Louis is 11-3 at home against National League Central foes.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 8, Brewers 4