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Cardinals vs. Brewers
Weekend Series Preview
Dennis Jenders
Friday, April 15 - Today the Milwaukee Brewers begin a three-game series with the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.
The Brewers find themselves looking down at the Cards as they rest atop the Central Division with a 5-3 record. That fast start has been a result of some timely contributions by Carlos Lee, Brady Clark, Russell Branyan and Damian Miller.
Branyan's two towering homers in the Monday's home opener put them ahead of the Pirates 6-2. Two games later Lee's two-run double began an eighth-inning rally that helped the Brewers take the lead and the series 2-1.
While Clark has shined in the leadoff spot hitting safely in 6 of the first 8 games, Miller has also contributed well at the bottom of the order with a .400 average.
With the addition of Lee and Miller the Brewers have found some veteran leadership. Along with a healthy Junior Spivey they've also found a more balanced line-up that doesn't skew left-handed. That balance should help tonight and this weekend as the Brewers should be looking to capitalize on St. Louis' slow start.
Milwaukee will be sending the top of their rotation against St. Louis. Friday we will see Ben Sheets against Jeff Suppan, Saturday Doug Davis against Chris Carpenter, and Victor Santos against Jason Marquis to close the series on Sunday.
The Brewers should look to steal at least two games from the Cardinals with Ben Sheets looking to rebound from his 4-0 loss to the Cubs last Saturday. In the home opener Davis left some balls hanging over the plate and will need to be especially sharp against the potent Cardinal lineup.