MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 3 (1-1) of a 6-game, 7-day road trip to St. Louis (1-1) and Tampa Bay (3g)…..the team returns to American Family Field following this trip for a 7-game homestand against Houston (3g) and San Francisco (4g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), LHP Wade Miley (left lat), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring), 1B Luke Voit (neck), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list….. Alexander, Ashby, Mitchell, Urías, Wilson and Woodruff are on the 60-day IL.
IN THE STANDINGS (48 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 27, SECOND: 19, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in first place, leading the second-place Pirates by 2.0 games.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 7-6-0 in series play.
Game 1: 7-7, Game 2: 9-5, Game 3: 7-6, Game 4: 1-0
Sweep Wins (3): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14)
Sweep Losses (1): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 13-8 at home, going 4-3-0 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 11-10 on the road, going 3-3-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made seven replay challenges this season, going 4-3…..their last challenge (won) came yesterday at St. Louis as an out call at first base (Contreras) was overturned
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #39 – RHP CORBIN BURNES (8gs, 4-2, 3.35)
BURNES AT A GLANCE: Corbin Burnes, 28, is making his ninth start of the season and first against the Cardinals…..Burnes last started last Friday vs. Kansas City and earned a 5-1 win (6ip, 2h, 0r, 4bb, 7k, 104 pitches)…..the team is 5-3 in his starts…..he has 4 quality starts, including 3 in a row…..opponents are batting .204 (33-for-162, 4hr)…..Burnes was selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Mary’s (CA) College…..he is under club control through 2024.
LAST SEASON: Burnes went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 33 starts last season, finishing seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting after winning the award in 2021…..Burnes was an All-Star for the second straight season and was named Brewers Most Valuable Pitcher for the second year in a row…..his career-high 243 strikeouts led the National League and ranked second in the majors behind the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole (257)…..he became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead his league in strikeouts…..he also ranked among the NL top five in starts (T1st, 33), AVG (2nd, .197), K/9IP (2nd, 10.83), H/9IP (2nd, 6.42), innings pitched (4th, 202.0), K/BB (4th, 4.76), quality starts (T4th, 21) and WHIP (5th, 0.97)…..the team went 20-13 in his starts.
CY BURNES: Burnes won the 2021 National League Cy Young Award after going 11-5 with a Major League-best 2.43 ERA in 28 starts…..he became the third pitcher in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award, joining Rollie Fingers (1981) and Pete Vuckovich (1982)…..he became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead his league in ERA.
CAREER: Is 39-21 with a 3.22 ERA in 143 games/82 starts (561.1ip, 201er)…..is in his sixth Major League season, all with the Brewers (2018-23)…..is 31-18 with a 2.97 ERA as a starter (479.1ip, 158er) and 8-3 with a 4.72 ERA in relief (82ip, 43er)…..Burnes is a two-time All-Star (2021-22) and was a 2021 All-MLB First Team selection.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 19-12 with a 3.49 ERA in 70 games/43 starts (294ip, 114er)…..is 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA in 3 starts this season (15.1ip, 8er)…..went 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA in 18 starts last season (109.2ip, 37er)…..
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 20-9 with a 2.93 ERA in 73 games/39 starts (267.1ip, 87er)…..is 2-2 with a 2.96 ERA in 4 starts this season (24.1ip, 8er)…..went 5-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 15 starts last season (92.1ip, 29er).
CAREER vs. CARDINALS: Is 4-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 15 games/12 starts (69.2ip, 22er), including 2-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 4 starts last season (28ip, 4er)…..is 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 9 career games/6 starts at Busch Stadium (39.2ip, 8er).
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers play the final game of a three-game series tonight at Busch Stadium after the two division rivals split the first two games … The Cardinals continue their seven-game homestand tomorrow night as the Los Angeles Dodgers (27-16) make their annual visit to St. Louis for a four-game series over the weekend … After tonight’s game, the Cardinals and Brewers will resume their season series in September, facing off in seven of the final 13 games of the regular season.
FLIGHT PATTERN: The Cardinals enter today in last place in the NL Central, 7.5 games behind first place Milwaukee and 2.5 games behind fourth place Cincinnati … Since May 6, St. Louis has won seven of their last nine to improve 2.5 games in the division … The Cardinals have been in last place for 21 straight days (April 25-present).
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE: St. Louis (+6) and the Chicago Cubs (+23, 19-23 record) are the only two MLB teams this season with losing records but positive run differentials.
ROSTER MOVES: The Cardinals announced a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game:
- Recalled LHP Matthew Liberatore from Memphis (AAA)
- Selected the contract of outfielder Óscar Mercado from Memphis (AAA)
- Placed OF Dylan Carlson (left ankle sprain) on the 10-Day Injured List, retro active to May 15
- Optioned RHP James Naile to Memphis (AAA)
- Transferred LHP Packy Naughton to the 60-Day Injured List
WELCOME BACK: Since 1965, the Cardinals have selected 19 players in the 1st or 2nd rounds of the MLB Draft who have made their MLB debuts with another club … With his first appearance for St. Louis, Óscar Mercado (2013 2nd round pick) will become the first of those 19 to return and play for the Cardinals … Mercado was traded by St. Louis to Cleveland for minor league outfielders Conner Capel and Jhon Torres at the 2018 MLB Trade deadline (chart left).
NOLAN STOPPED COOLIN’: Nolan Arenado has hit safely and recorded an RBI in nine of his last 10 games (.341/.362/.795, 6 HR, 17 RBI) since May 5 … Last night, Arenado became the 9th player in franchise history with homers in five straight, which is one shy of his career-high (6G, Sept. 1-5, 2015) and the Cardinals record of six shared by Paul Goldschmidt (July 22-27, 2019), Matt Carpenter (July 14-21-G2, 2018) and Mark McGwire (Sept. 27, 1997-April 4, 1998) … St. Louis is 48-22 since 2021 when Arenado goes yard (6-2 in 2023).
CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL: The Cardinals have homered in five consecutive games (May 12-present), their season-best and tied with the Rays and Yankees for the longest active in MLB this season … The Cardinals 12 homers over their last five games is 2nd in MLB to the Bronx Bombers (14), while their 25 long balls in the month of May ranks 3rd to the Yankees (31) and Braves (30) … This season, the Cardinals are 14-13 in games when they homer, 12-5 when they hit 2+ home runs, and 9-1 when they go yard 3+ times.
CLOSE CALLS: The Cardinals fell to 2-8 (.200) last night in one-run games this season, tying the Cubs (2-8) for worst win pct. in MLB. THE HEAT IS ON: The Cardinals (85.7, 30-for-35) and Guardians (85.7, 42-for-49) are tied for the 3rd-best stolen base percentage in MLB, trailing only the Red Sox (87.1, 27-for-31) and White Sox (91.7, 24-for-26) … The Cardinals 85.7% success rate is currently their best single-season mark in franchise history, topping the 2021 Redbirds (89-for-111, 80.2%) … Overall this season, MLB teams are combining for a 78.6% stolen base success rate, highest in single-season history.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP MATTHEW LIBERATORE (2023 DEBUT)
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Recalled today from Memphis (AAA) to make his first Major League start since 10/5/22 at Pittsburgh and his 8th career MLB start (10th app).
- Made his Major League debut 361 days ago at Pittsburgh (5/21/22) and PNC Park. His second start was vs. MIL (5/28/22) when he earned his first MLB win, firing 5.0 scoreless innings in his first start at Busch Stadium.
- Was 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 46.0 innings pitched covering eight starts at Memphis (AAA) this season. Posted a 10-strikeout game at Gwinnett (4/12).
- Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month and International League Pitcher of the Month for April with a 3-0 mark and 2.14 ERA over 33.2 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts covering six starts in March/April.
- Currently leading all Minor League pitchers at any level with 46.0 innings pitched and leads all Triple-A pitchers with 56 strikeouts (3rd in MiLB).
- The Cardinals were 5-2 in his seven starts last season and 7-2 overall in his nine total appearances.
- Posted three scoreless starts of 4.0 innings or more last season with a season-high 5.0 scoreless innings vs. MIL (5/28/22) and vs. PIT (6/14/22 – Game 1 of DH).
- 2021 Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
- Acquired in trade with Tampa Bay Rays on January 9, 2020 in a deal that sent OF Jose Martinez and OF Randy Arozarena to Tampa.
- Originally selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round (16th player overall) of the June, 2018 First-Year Player Draft, making him the highest drafted high school player in Rays franchise history.
- Started for the National League in the 2021 SirusXM All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field in Denver and worked a perfect 1st inning retiring a trio of then-top 10 prospects in Bobby Witt, Jr., Jarred Kelenic, and Julio Rodriguez on just 13 pitches.
LAST TIME OUT
- Threw 7.0 innings, matching his season-high, allowing four runs on five hits while fanning five in his 4th win of the season. Benefitted by two Luken Baker home runs as the offense rallied from a 4-2 deficit for a 7-4 win.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
5/12 @LHV W 7-4 W-4 7.0 5 4 4 2 5 2 96-57
