After DH split, Brewers look to close gap on Cardinals

Following a long beginning to a busy three days of baseball in Milwaukee, the Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals trudge on.

After splitting a doubleheader, the Cardinals and Brewers continue their five-game set on Tuesday night.

Monday's twin bill began a stretch that has these teams meeting 10 times over the final two weeks of the season with plenty on the line.

After Milwaukee (21-25) needed eight innings to take Monday's doubleheader opener 2-1, and St. Louis (21-21) responded with a 3-2, nine-inning triumph in the nightcap, the Brewers trail the second-place Cardinals by two games in the NL Central.

The top two teams in each division earn a spot in the postseason. Despite winning just four games in their last 10 and trailing the first-place Chicago Cubs by four games, the Cardinals find themselves in decent position to make the postseason.

"That kind of writing your own destiny, that's a good thing," Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter told the club's official website. "We're going to find out, one way or another."

Milwaukee has dropped six of its last nine contests and totaled seven runs in five games since a 19-0 win at Detroit on Sept. 9.

"We know every game right now is everything," Milwaukee infielder Eric Sogard told the club's official website.

Strong starting pitching told the story over both games on Monday, and Tuesday offers a potentially enticing mound matchup, as well.

Scheduled St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty (3-1, 3.08 ERA) is making just his third road start this season, and in his first two, he was 0-1 with a hefty 8.31 ERA. He lasted a combined 4 1/3 innings over those two starts.

The right-hander has fared somewhat better in five career starts at Milwaukee, posting a 4.68 ERA. However, Flaherty is 0-2 in those games.

His most recent start came at home on Thursday, when he allowed a two-run homer and three other hits while striking out six over five innings of a 12-2 win against Detroit.

The Brewers, meanwhile, appear confident that Brett Anderson (2-3, 4.64) will be healthy to take the ball on Tuesday. The left-hander was scratched Saturday from a scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs due to a right hip issue.

Anderson's most recent outing came at Cleveland on Sept. 6, when he allowed four runs and six hits in five innings and took the loss in a 4-1 defeat.

This will be Anderson's first start against the Cardinals since 2015, while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Paul Goldschmidt, who recorded three hits on Monday and is batting .382 with 13 homers and 30 RBIs in 35 games at Milwaukee, is 8-for-15 with a pair of home runs against Anderson.

Milwaukee's Ryan Braun delivered a game-tying double in the eighth inning of Monday's first game. Though he's batting just .220 in 2020, Braun is 7-for-16 with two doubles and three home runs against Flaherty.

Fellow Brewers star Christian Yelich continues to struggle. After striking out six times over both Monday games, Yelich is hitting .195 for the season and is 1-for-18 with 12 strikeouts in his last five contests.

--Field Level Media

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