I only really like one game today.
GAME 1
After getting swept at home by their closest pursuers in the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers have widened their division lead at the expense of the worst team in the major leagues. It looked as if the Brewers were going to lose 4 games in a row, that is until they scored all 8 runs in the last 3 innings of the game winning 8-2. The Brewers will send Chris-Narveson to the hill in hopes that his injury plaques had been put behind him. Milwaukee has won 8 of his last 9 starts with Narveson going 3-0 in his last 6 starts posting an ERA of just 2.67. But being on the road has been a problem for the Left-Hander this year where he has a poor 3-4 record supported by an elevated ERA of just under 4.75. He walked one in one inning of relief during Wednesday's 8-3 loss to St. Louis.In three games this year against Houston, Narveson is 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA. Eight of thee 11 runs he's surrendered have come in Minute Maid Park. The Brewers are swinging the bats above average right now and has hitters that are competitative in this situation. Ryan Braun is 0 for 5 this season and 5 for 17 with two homers and three RBIs in his career off Norris, while Casey McGehee has struck out seven times in 11 lifetime at-bats. Braun had two hits and two RBIs and McGehee hit a two-run homer Friday. Milwaukee is hitting .316 during its seven-game winning streak over the Astros with Fielder dominating Houston's woeful staff -- last in the NL with a 4.53 ERA. Fielder went 4 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs Friday, and is hitting .643 (18 for 28) with four homers and 10 RBIs during his team's run. The All-Star MVP is 3 for 6 with a homer and two RBIs this season against the Astros' Bud Norris.
Bud Norris will be the counter part for the Astros in hoping he can continue his dominace that he has had lately. The right-hander gave up two runs, three hits and struck out 10 over seven innings in the Astros' 4-3, 11-inning win over San Francisco on Sunday. Norris has a 1-0 record in his last 3 starts with the struggling Astros winning 2 of his last 3 starts. The Astros have won 8 of his 15 starts at Minute Maid while holds an ERA of 3.63 there. The Right-Hander has allowed 3 runs of less in 3 of his last 4 starts including a shut-out against the Dodgers back on Aug 12th. Norris had his 3 game winning streak against the Brewers snapped back in early Aug where he gave up 6 runs off 8 hits in just 5 innings, but before that the Astros where 4-1 behind Norris when facing the Brewers. Jimmy Paredes and Clint Barmes each had two hits and an RBI for Houston (47-91), which failed to win a season-high fifth in a row.Carlos Lee has two of his team-high 13 homers this season off Narveson. Lee is hitting .440 (22 for 50) with two homers and seven RBIs in a season-high 13-game hitting streak. The Brewers have too many weapons to allow this game to get out of their hands. They should win this one with ease.
5*** POD MILWAUKEE BREWERS -137***
GAME 1
After getting swept at home by their closest pursuers in the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers have widened their division lead at the expense of the worst team in the major leagues. It looked as if the Brewers were going to lose 4 games in a row, that is until they scored all 8 runs in the last 3 innings of the game winning 8-2. The Brewers will send Chris-Narveson to the hill in hopes that his injury plaques had been put behind him. Milwaukee has won 8 of his last 9 starts with Narveson going 3-0 in his last 6 starts posting an ERA of just 2.67. But being on the road has been a problem for the Left-Hander this year where he has a poor 3-4 record supported by an elevated ERA of just under 4.75. He walked one in one inning of relief during Wednesday's 8-3 loss to St. Louis.In three games this year against Houston, Narveson is 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA. Eight of thee 11 runs he's surrendered have come in Minute Maid Park. The Brewers are swinging the bats above average right now and has hitters that are competitative in this situation. Ryan Braun is 0 for 5 this season and 5 for 17 with two homers and three RBIs in his career off Norris, while Casey McGehee has struck out seven times in 11 lifetime at-bats. Braun had two hits and two RBIs and McGehee hit a two-run homer Friday. Milwaukee is hitting .316 during its seven-game winning streak over the Astros with Fielder dominating Houston's woeful staff -- last in the NL with a 4.53 ERA. Fielder went 4 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs Friday, and is hitting .643 (18 for 28) with four homers and 10 RBIs during his team's run. The All-Star MVP is 3 for 6 with a homer and two RBIs this season against the Astros' Bud Norris.
Bud Norris will be the counter part for the Astros in hoping he can continue his dominace that he has had lately. The right-hander gave up two runs, three hits and struck out 10 over seven innings in the Astros' 4-3, 11-inning win over San Francisco on Sunday. Norris has a 1-0 record in his last 3 starts with the struggling Astros winning 2 of his last 3 starts. The Astros have won 8 of his 15 starts at Minute Maid while holds an ERA of 3.63 there. The Right-Hander has allowed 3 runs of less in 3 of his last 4 starts including a shut-out against the Dodgers back on Aug 12th. Norris had his 3 game winning streak against the Brewers snapped back in early Aug where he gave up 6 runs off 8 hits in just 5 innings, but before that the Astros where 4-1 behind Norris when facing the Brewers. Jimmy Paredes and Clint Barmes each had two hits and an RBI for Houston (47-91), which failed to win a season-high fifth in a row.Carlos Lee has two of his team-high 13 homers this season off Narveson. Lee is hitting .440 (22 for 50) with two homers and seven RBIs in a season-high 13-game hitting streak. The Brewers have too many weapons to allow this game to get out of their hands. They should win this one with ease.
5*** POD MILWAUKEE BREWERS -137***