Brewers at Cardinals
The Milwaukee Brewers have enough problems beating the St. Louis Cardinals, and the task will be even tougher in Thursday's series finale without their leadoff hitter and center fielder. Carlos Gomez injured his hamstring in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals and will be unavailable for the rubber game in St. Louis.
Gomez, who carried a six-game hitting streak into Wednesday's contest, was hurt beating out a double-play grounder to cap an 0-for-5 effort as Milwaukee lost for the sixth time in eight games. St. Louis had stranded a National League-worst 50 baserunners through six games before going 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position Wednesday. Matt Holliday has hit safely in all seven games after delivering a two-run single in the first inning. Matt Carpenter recorded a pair of doubles to give him three straight multi-hit performances and five overall.
TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Mike Fiers (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (0-0, 6.00)
Fiers did not permit more than three runs in 10 starts last season, but he was roughed up for five runs and seven hits - including a home run and four doubles - in five innings by Pittsburgh. Fiers turned in two strong outings against St. Louis last September, splitting a pair of decisions despite yielding only three earned runs over 13 2/3 frames. He has limited Cardinals leadoff hitter Carpenter to one single in 11 at-bats.
Lackey was doomed by the long ball in his season debut, surrendering a pair of home runs by Cincinnati's Joey Votto during a six-inning stint in which he allowed four runs on four hits. Lackey beat the Brewers in his St. Louis debut last season with seven innings of two-run ball but was clubbed for six runs at Milwaukee in September. Matt Lind tormented Lackey while with Toronto, going 15-for-28 with six doubles and six RBIs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Lackey needs nine strikeouts to reach 1,800 for his career.
2. The Brewers were 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 Wednesday.
3. Holliday has registered 76 RBIs in 115 games against Milwaukee.