Cardinals at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers look to continue their best start in 12 years when they open their home schedule against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. Newcomers Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich have made a big splash for the Brewers and combined to go 15-for-28 with six RBIs and seven runs scored in a season-opening three-game sweep at San Diego.
"It could be a fun year for the middle of the order," third baseman Travis Shaw told reporters after driving in three runs in Saturday's 7-3 triumph. "Tonight's special; 2-3-4 get on, what, 10 times? Yelich with five hits. His bat-to-ball skills are unbelievable. He finds a way to get the barrel to the ball every single time no matter the count. He's fun to watch." The Cardinals cracked the win column for the first time with a 5-1 victory at the New York Mets on Sunday, as Paul DeJong slugged a pair of solo homers. Marcell Ozuna, Yelich's teammate in Miami before both were part of the Marlins' housecleaning this offseason, had three hits and two RBIs after opening his career in St. Louis with back-to-back 0-for-4 efforts. Miles Mikolas, who appeared in 37 games with San Diego and Texas between 2012-14 before three years pitching in Japan, makes his return to the majors to start for the Cardinals opposite Brewers right-hander Zach Davies in the series opener.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (2017: NR) vs. Cardinals RH Zach Davies (17-9, 3.90 ERA)
Mikolas posted a 31-13 record and 2.18 ERA in three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants before signing with the Cardinals in December. "I really like their philosophy and everything they're all about here," Mikolas told reporters late in spring training. "I think they scouted me pretty heavily over there (in Japan)." The 29-year-old is 2-5 with a 6.44 ERA in 10 career starts in the major leagues - all with Texas in 2014.
Davies tied for second in the National League in wins and first in starts (33) in 2017, his second full season in the majors. However, the Arizona native saw his walks increase to 55 from 38 in 2016 and his strikeouts fall to 124 from 135, and he struggled at home by posting a 5.82 ERA in 17 starts. Matt Carpenter is 8-for-18 with two homers and four doubles against Davies, who is 2-0 with a 3.41 ERA in six career starts versus St. Louis.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals RF Dexter Fowler is 0-for-13 with six strikeouts on the season.
2. Cain and Shaw have three doubles apiece through the first three games.
3. This is Milwaukee's first 3-0 start since 2006, when it opened 5-0.