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Tonight's Matchup: Brewers (Lohse) @ Padres (Marquis)

Tonight the Brewers will face, improbably, the Padres' best pitcher so far in 2013.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Join us tonight for a matchup of former Cardinals.

Padres starter Jason Marquis (2.41/5.07 ERA/FIP in 2013, 5.22/5.09 in 2012) was a Cardinal from 2004-06, winning 42 games over three seasons and appearing in four different playoff series. Since then he's been a Cub, Rockie, National, Diamondback, Twin and now a Padre. He was very good against the Dodgers on Tuesday, allowing a single run on just three hits over 7.2 innings.

Marquis is 34, a 14-year major league veteran and ranks 17th among active pitchers with 228 career home runs allowed. His fastball once sat in the low-to-mid 90's but it's down around 87 this season, and through three starts he's relying on his changeup more than ever.

Marquis pitched a disaster start against the Brewers on May 20 of last season, allowing eight runs on eight hits over just 1.2 innings. He has a 5.53 career ERA against the Brewers, which includes a start where he allowed seven runs without recording an out as a National in 2010. Three Brewers have faced him ten times or more:

Player PA AVG OBP SLG OPS
Ryan Braun 26 .500 .577 .727 1.304
Alex Gonzalez 22 .278 .409 .444 .854
Rickie Weeks 21 .278 .381 .444 .825

He'll face 2008-12 Cardinal Kyle Lohse (2.70/2.53 ERA/FIP in 2013, 2.86/3.51 in 2012), whose early Brewer career is off to a promising start. Lohse pitched seven innings against the Giants on Wednesday and allowed three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out six. He threw 102 pitches in that game, easily a season-high.

If Lohse pitches seven innings tonight he'll become just the 17th active pitcher to have worked 2000 innings in his career. His 4.43 ERA would be the second highest in that group, behind only 2013 Mexican League reliever Esteban Loaiza.

Lohse faced the Padres once last season as a member of the Cardinals, working six innings on September 12 and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings, walking none and striking out eight. Just two current Padres have faced him ten times or more:

Player PA AVG OBP SLG OPS
Mark Kotsay 16 .063 .063 .063 .125
Chase Headley 14 .231 .286 .385 .670

As of this writing I have not seen tonight's lineups. If you have, please drop them in the comments.

And in the bullpen:

  • Tom Gorzelanny pitched one inning (18 pitches) yesterday.
  • Jim Henderson pitched one inning (14 pitches) yesterday.
  • John Axford pitched .1 innings (six pitches) yesterday.
  • Brandon Kintzler pitched two innings (26 pitches) Saturday.
  • Mike Gonzalez pitched one inning (25 pitches) Saturday.
  • Burke Badenhop pitched one inning (nine pitches) Saturday.
  • Alfredo Figaro last pitched on Thursday.

For the next three days in San Diego the biggest weather issue the Brewers will face might be pollen. Expect a game-time temperature around 59 tonight with light winds out of the south-southwest.