Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2012 ) St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 4
The Milwaukee Brewers cured their woes with a three-game sweep of the league-worst Houston Astros. They attempt to continue their success Friday when they begin a three-game road trip in St. Louis against the Cardinals. Milwaukee had lost nine of 10 contests before outscoring Houston 31-12 in three straight victories.
St. Louis returns home after a 3-3 road trip that culminated with an 8-2 loss in Colorado on Thursday. The Cardinals will play 16 of their next 19 contests at home, where they are 29-21. St. Louis still has its sights set on a playoff berth as it trails Cincinnati in the National League Central by eight games and is four behind Atlanta for the second wild-card spot.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN (Milwaukee, St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Randy Wolf (3-7, 5.45 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Joe Kelly (1-4, 2.96)
Wolf is seeking just his second win since April 30 as he has gone 1-5 over his last 16 games, including one relief appearance. The 35-year-old allowed four runs over seven innings of a loss to Washington on Saturday. Wolf evened his career record against St. Louis at 9-9 with a victory over the Cardinals on July 17 in which he yielded two runs over 6 2/3 frames.
Kelly, who has allowed three runs or less in each of his nine career starts, has gone 0-4 over his last six outings. The 24-year-old rookie gave up three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Cubs in Chicago on Saturday. Kelly fell to Wolf and the Brewers at home on July 17, when he surrendered three runs - two earned - in six frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis SS Rafael Furcal missed his fifth consecutive game Thursday with stiffness in his back.
2. The Brewers have scored six runs or more in eight of their last 10 contests.
3. Cardinals C Yadier Molina did not play Thursday due to a sprained right thumb.