The Milwaukee Brewers come into this series boasting the National League’s best home record. The Brewers are 39-20 at Miller Park. The Cardinals have struggled mightily on the road this season, with an overall record of 25-33, losing their last give games on the road(Pirates and Nationals). The Brewers come in with a 1.5 game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs, and 5.5 over the Cardinals. The Brewers fell to the Astros on Sunday 6-4, while the Cardinals pummelled the Dodgers 12-2. The Brewers are 62-56 overall, while the Cardinals sit at 55-60.
The Cardinals will throw Kip Wells on the mound on Tuesday, with a record of 5-13, 5.27 ERA, and he will face the Brewers lefthander Chris Capuano, 5-9, 4.96. Wells in his last start against the Brewers went 5 innings, giving up 11 hits, 5 runs, all earned, walking 2 and striking out 7. He gained a no decision in that game. His last outing, on the 8th of August against the Padres, Kip went 7 innings, gave up 6 hits, 1 run, and striking out 4 in a 2-1 win. Kip is 2-2 in his last 10 starts. Wells is 6-8 in his career against the Brewers.
Chris Capuano has not won a start since May. He is 0-5 in his last 10 starts, including three straight losses, including 11-4, 11-5, and 5-2 losses. In Capuano’s last start against the Cardinals he garnered a no decision, going 3 innings, giving up 2 hits, and striking out 1. He is 4-4 in his career against the Cardinals. Our guy, Albert Pujols is 2-4 with a double and strike out on the season against Capuano, and 14-25, for a .560 average against the lefty. That includes 3 doubles, 3 homeruns, 10 rbi’s, while striking out 5 times and walking three times. Albert loves facing Chris Capuano, but he also LOVES Miller Park. Albert is 6-11 for a .545 average, with a walk in 07 at Miller. In his career, Albert is a .321 hitter at Miller including 7 long blasts. Time to up those numbers on Tuesday Albert!
On Wednesday, Joel Pineiro will take on Yovani Gallardo. Joel is coming off a great outing against the Padres, going 7 solid innings, allowing only 4 hits, no runs, striking out 4 in a 5-0 Cardinal win. His start before that, he went 5 innings against Washington in a 12-1 loss to the Nationals. Joel has never faced Milwaukee.
Gallardo has been good for the Brewers in 2007, but is coming off a horrible outing against the Rockies where he went 2.2 innings, giving up 12 hits, 11 runs, walking 3 in a 19-4 loss to the Rockies. On the season, he is 4-2, with a 4.20 ERA. His last start against the Cardinals, he went 5 innings, allowing 4 hits, and 4 runs in a game the Brewers lost, due to the bullpen. Pujols is 1-3 on the season, and his career against Gallardo.
The final game on Thursday pits Adam Wainwright against the Brewers, Dave Bush. Wainwright comes into the game with a 10-9 record, 4.21 era and is coming off a complete game loss to the Dodgers, where he only gave up 6 hits and 2 runs, in a 2-1 loss. In his career, Adam is 0-0 against the Brewers.
Bush, is 9-8 with a 5.07 era, but 0-2 in his career against the Cardinals. He has yet to face the Cardinals in 2007, and for his career Albert is 1-2 with an rbi, and a walk and a strikeout.
CHECK BACK HERE ALL WEEK FOR THE LATEST ALBERT PUJOLS AND ST. LOUIS CARDINALS COVERAGE!