Can Jeff Suppan prevent a series sweep, on Wing Wednesday?
Follow the jump for today's pitching matchup, lineup and conversation on today's game!
Adam Wainwright (17-7, 2.68) will likely surpass 200 innings pitched in 2009 today, and leads the NL with 17 wins, is fourth in ERA and fifth in strikeouts. He's been about as good and consistent as a pitcher can be in the NL this season, pitching six innings or more in 26 straight starts at one point. With that said, that streak was snapped in his last start, when he was knocked around for six runs on nine hits in five innings by the Pirates. Wainwright is 2-1 against the Brewers this season with a 0.77 ERA in 23.1 innings.
Even if he's at his best, Jeff Suppan (6-8, 4.97) looks overmatched in this one. The honest truth on Suppan is that he hasn't been very good this season, but there are some silver linings: He's only allowed one earned run in his last two starts (11.2 IP) and he's been pretty good against the Cardinals in his career, going 7-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 14 starts. Matt Holliday loves facing Suppan: In eleven career matchups, he's hit .636/.733/1.545 with three home runs.
Corey Hart and Alcides Escobar are back in the lineup today, and Corey Patterson is not: (h/t Tyler Barnes)
Felipe Lopez 2B
Craig Counsell 3B
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Corey Hart RF
Jody Gerut CF
Jason Kendall C
Alcides Escobar SS
Jeff Suppan P
Yes, you're reading that right. Less than 24 hours after telling reporters Mat Gamel wasn't going to get much playing time because Casey McGehee needed to be in there, Macha is sitting both McGehee and Gamel.
Enjoy the game!