ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cardinals are the most profitable team in the National League and have cleaned up at home, owning the best record through 26 games in franchise history. St. Louis is up 11.85 units while going 20-6 at Busch Stadium after taking two of three games from the NL West Division leading Dodgers over the weekend. Overall the Cards are in the black 14.17 units. The Brewers are at the opposite end of the pay scale, down 3.91 units on the road and 16.78 units overall on the moneyline.
St. Louis played below the total on Sunday and the under is 5-1 through the first six games of the Cards’ homestand. They are a strong under play going 16-9-1 at home and 29-19-2 overall while going below the scoreline in each of John Lackey’s last seven starts.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson (2-5, 3.90 ERA) took a no-decision Friday after allowing four runs over six innings against Arizona. He gave up seven hits, including a pair of home runs, with eight strikeouts and no walks, which is a good sign. He had issued nine free passes over 13.2 innings in his previous two starts.
Nelson is 0-3 with a 10.24 ERA in three lifetime appearances – two starts – against the Cardinals and has a 3.59 ERA in 12 career road games.
John Lackey (3-3, 2.83 ERA) allowed five singles over seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win against Los Angeles on Friday. He tossed at least seven innings five times and has given up three earned runs or fewer in seven consecutive starts with a 1.30 ERA at Busch Stadium in 2015.
Lackey has two scoreless seven-inning starts this year, the first of which came in Milwaukee on Apr. 16, and is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career starts against the Brewers.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“As far as what we saw last year and how he’s throwing right now, it’s just much better stuff. He’s got the velocity. He’s got location with his fastball. He’s got a slider, you can see he’s getting a lot of swings and misses from. He’s got the deception. Everything is coming out of the same release point and slot. All that put together and just being able to locate when he gets into trouble, it has been a great combination to have.” – Cardinals manager Mike Matheny on John Lackey
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The eighth inning struggles of Brewers reliever Jonathan Broxton have been a reoccurring theme this season and those problems reappeared over the weekend. Nick Ahmed, Arizona’s light-hitting shortstop, went yard off Broxton Friday, snapping a tie game and sending the Brewers to their sixth straight defeat. Broxton entered that game having allowed 14 runs in 17.1 inning and opposing batters were hitting .324 against him. The bulk of his work has come in high-leverage situations in the eighth and manager Craig Counsell now believes a committee of relievers might be the way to attack the eighth inning.
PROP TALK
Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta has made a career hitting against the Brewers. Peralta hit .522 against Milwaukee in the first six games of the season series collecting 12 hits, raising his average in 30 career matchups to .376. He’s also fared quite well against Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson with four hits in seven at-bats. Peralta is enjoying the finest offensive season of his 13-year career batting .310 after a pair of hits, including his eighth home run, in Sunday’s win over the Dodgers. He ended the weekend leading the team in homers and RBIs with 30 and his magical run continues against the Brewers. Look for Peralta to collect a few base hits and drive in a few in the Cards’ victory.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Without much relief in sight, the Brewers’ woes may continue for some time. Milwaukee had a season-high 16 hits in Sunday’s win over Arizona, but it took 17 innings to reach that total and the Brewers own the majors lowest batting average entering the series. Don’t look for much improvement against the best staff in baseball. Cards starter John Lackey turned in a magnificent performance last time out, tossing seven scoreless frames at the Dodgers, and has been dominant at home this season.
The Brewers will have Jonathan Lucroy, who finished fourth in last year’s NL MVP Award voting back in the lineup, but his presence will not be enough to get the Brewers a win.
St. Louis 5, Milwaukee 1
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, 2015, at 1:45 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium. The game will be televised live on FSN.
