Joe Kelly (5-6, 3.54) is currently enjoying a successful rookie season as he currently has a 4.03 FIP to go along with a nice ERA. Kelly had improved every year in the minor leagues. His first two seasons, in 2009 and 2010, he posted 4.50+ ERAs. In 2011, that dropped to 3.68. Then, this season, he had just a 2.86 ERA in 12 minor league starts. In a strange correlation, Kelly's strikeout numbers also went down every season. In 2009, he had an 8.9 K/9 but, by 2012, his K/9 dropped all the way down to 5.6.
He has not put up big strikeout numbers in the majors, either, with a 6.27 K/9. In additon, Kelly also has a 3.13 BB/9 and a 0.81 HR/9. The 24-year-old Kelly has only made two starts in the majors where he allowed more than three runs, one where he gave up four earned runs and the other five earned. His latest start, against the Mets, was one of the best of the year. Kelly went 6.2 innings and gave up two runs on five hits.
Kelly throws three pitches primarily: A 94 MPH two-seamer (62%), an 81 MPH curveball (19%), and an 84 MPH change-up (12%). Kelly has not yet faced a Brewers hitter at least ten times.
For Milwaukee, Shaun Marcum (5-4, 3.53) will make his fourth start since coming off the DL. He has yet to go six innings in a start since his injury, though the Brewers have not let him go into the 90s on his pitch count yet either. His last start, against the Marlins, was actually one of the worst of his season so far despite not being terrible. He went 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits. He struck out three batters but gave up two home runs.
Marcum has faced six Cardinals batters at least ten times. Here is how they fared:
| Player | PA | Line |
| Lance Berkman | 19 | .111/.158/.111 |
| Matt Holliday | 13 | .273/.385/.545 |
| Jon Jay | 13 | .455/.462/.545 |
| Yadier Molina | 12 | .250/.250/.333 |
| Skip Schumaker | 12 | .250/.250/.250 |
| David Freese | 10 | .200/.200/.500 |
Lineups:
RF Aoki
2B Weeks
LF Braun
3B Ramirez
1B Hart
C Lucroy
CF Gomez
SS Segura
P Marcum
In the Bullpen:
John Axford pitched one inning (21 pitches) Friday and one inning (20 pitches) yesterday.
Livan Hernandez pitched one inning (14 pitches) yesterday.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched one inning (18 pitches) Friday and one inning (17 pitches) yesterday..
Jim Henderson pitched one inning (21 pitches) Friday and one inning (20 pitches) yesterday.
Brandon Kintzler pitched one inning (17 pitches) Friday.
Manny Parra pitched one inning (13 pitches) Friday.
Jose Veras pitched one inning (17 pitches) Friday.
Kameron Loe pitched one inning (27 pitches) Friday.
Josh Stinson pitched .1 innings (3 pitches) Thursday.
Tyler Thornburg last pitched on Sunday for Nashville.