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Brewers-Cardinals Preview

May 16, 2009 - 5:40 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Milwaukee (21-14) at St. Louis (21-14), 1:10 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals entered their first meeting of the season tied for the NL Central lead. They ended it the same way.

After the opener of their three-game series was postponed because of storms, the Cardinals and Brewers will again try to break the deadlock Saturday.

Friday night's opener was stopped in the bottom of the second inning because of persistent rain at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals led 2-0, but the clubs will start over when they make up the game Monday night, which had been an off day for both teams.

The rainout, only the fifth at 4-year-old Busch Stadium and first since March 31, 2008, forced the teams to wait one more day to battle for the top spot in the division. The Cardinals and Brewers, both 21-14, are a half-game up on the Chicago Cubs, while Cincinnati is one game back.

"I don't think back when you started the season a lot of people in baseball thought there would be four teams doing what they're doing in this division," said Brewers manager Ken Macha, whose club has won 17 of 22. "That's why we're holding the season."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has to like his team's chances of taking over sole possession of first place with Adam Wainwright (3-1, 4.35 ERA) taking the mound Saturday.

St. Louis is 5-2 in games started by the right-hander, who gave up four runs in six innings of an 8-7, 10-inning win over the Reds on Sunday. Though St. Louis came out on top, Wainwright wasn't happy with that performance and says a minor change in his delivery will get him back on track.

"It's not a question of arm strength or stuff - the ball just isn't sinking the way it normally does, and I'm throwing fly balls," he told the Cardinals' official Web site after giving up two home runs for the second consecutive start. "It's just a matter of arm slot. So now that we recognize the problem, I should be able to correct it."

Wainwright is 2-2 with a 3.49 ERA in six starts versus the Brewers. He's 1-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five games - two starts - against them in St. Louis.

The Brewers will counter with Jeff Suppan (2-3, 5.50). The veteran right-hander has lowered his ERA in each outing since a rough season debut April 7, but he was reached for four runs - three earned - in a 4-2 loss to the Cubs on Sunday.

If his recent history against St. Louis is any indication, Suppan has a good shot at bouncing back Saturday. Suppan, who won 44 games in three seasons with the Cardinals from 2004-06, is 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in five starts against his former club since signing with the Brewers in January 2007.

He's 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA in seven starts versus St. Louis since May 30, 2003.

Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, 4 for 25 (.160) over his last seven games, is 12 for 30 (.400) with five doubles and four walks in his career against Suppan.