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Cardinals-Brewers Preview

Jul 8, 2009 - 5:07 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

St. Louis (45-39) at Milwaukee (43-39), 8:05 p.m. EDT

All-Star outfielder Ryan Braun offered some candid comments on the state of the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching staff this weekend, suggesting general manager Doug Melvin act quickly to upgrade the team's struggling stable of arms.

When it comes to facing the St. Louis Cardinals, however, Milwaukee's problems seem to lie at the plate.

The Brewers were held to two runs or fewer for the fourth straight time against St. Louis in Tuesday's series opener, a slump they'd love to snap out of Wednesday night as the NL Central's top two teams continue a three-game set at Miller Park.

Among the NL's top 10 in batting average, runs and RBIs, it was announced Sunday that Braun was voted to start his second consecutive All-Star game.

Braun, though, made some different headlines that day. After the Brewers' 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs, the vocal slugger chided the team's disappointing pitching staff, implying Melvin should make a move to give Milwaukee (43-40) a chance to contend.

Braun backed down Tuesday prior to the Brewers' series opener against St. Louis, a day after Melvin called his left fielder's comments "irresponsible."

"At times, I am emotional," Braun said. "I am passionate, and (my comments) derived from wanting to win. I definitely take full responsibility for that. That being said, me and Doug are cool. Everything is good. ... I wasn't trying to disrespect anybody. I wasn't trying to call anybody out."

Braun and the Brewers' offense, however, haven't offered their pitching staff much support against the Cardinals (46-39). They managed seven singles Tuesday in a 5-0 loss, and were behind before they came to bat on Ryan Ludwick's three-run homer.

"It was a tough game for us offensively and getting down 3-0 in the first inning didn't help matters," manager Ken Macha said.

Milwaukee has totaled four runs in its past four games versus the Cardinals. Braun, who went 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts, is hitting .174 (4 for 23) against St. Louis this season.

Fellow All-Star Prince Fielder is hitting .190 (4 for 21) versus the Cardinals.

Braun has a chance to break out of his personal slump against St. Louis, though. Todd Wellemeyer (7-7, 5.44 ERA) will get the ball for the Cardinals on Wednesday, and Braun is 7 for 13 (.538) with a homer and three walks in his career versus the right-hander.

Yet Wellemeyer, who's 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts against the Brewers this season, is coming off one of his best outings of the season. He gave up seven hits and two runs, striking out six, in a 5-2 win over San Francisco on Thursday.

"He kept attacking the zone with everything," manager Tony La Russa said of Wellemeyer, who was 1-3 with a 6.89 ERA in June. "He was charging after the hitters with quality pitches."

Ludwick hadn't faced the Brewers this season, missing the teams' six games in May with a strained hamstring, but his three-run homer in the first inning Tuesday was all St. Louis needed.

Ludwick has a homer among his three hits in 10 at-bats against Jeff Suppan (5-6, 4.60), who will take the hill for Milwaukee. The former Cardinal has pitched well against his old team since leaving St. Louis, going 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA in seven starts since 2007.

He lasted only 3 2-3 innings on May 26 against the Cardinals, though, giving up five runs and three homers.

Suppan, who's 1-5 with a 6.08 ERA at Miller Park this season, gave up a run and four hits over seven innings Friday at Wrigley Field in Milwaukee's 2-1, 10-inning loss.