Game Thread #157: Milwaukee Brewers (89-67) @ St. Louis Cardinals (87-69)

Here we go, the big three in St. Louis.

These games have been looming large all season, and lo and behold, they are!

The Milwaukee Brewers (89-67) take their two game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals (87-69) into Busch Stadium with a chance to clinch the first Wild Card spot with a sweep of the Redbirds, and perhaps make some inroads on the first place Cubs (2.5 up on the Brewers). Or they could leave town a game back of the Cards, and with the Cubs having eliminated Milwaukee from the NL Central. Or something in between.

Jack Flaherty (8-8, 3.08) has been very tough on Milwaukee this season, and goes for the Cards. Craig Counsell has decided to embrace the concept of an opener for the opener of the series, and lefty Dan Jennings (4-5, 3.23) gets the call. Jennings will go no more than an inning, and then we shall see what further plans CC has for his pitching staff. This is the first start of Jennings’ career, after 381 relief appearances.

Christian Yelich is in the line-up a day after getting drilled in the elbow; let’s hope that he isn’t hampered in any way.

Milwaukee Brewers

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Matt Carpenter (L) 1B

2. Jose Martinez (R) RF

3. Paul DeJong (R) SS

4. Marcell Ozuna (R) LF

5. Jedd Gyorko (R) 3B

6. Yadier Molina (R) C

7. Harrison Bader (R) CF

8. Yairo Munoz (R) 2B

9. Jack Flaherty (R) P