MLB Playoff Preview – NLCS Game 5: Milwaukee Brewers @ St. Louis Cardinals

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Throughout the entire regular season and on into the playoffs, the Milwaukee Brewers have been unable to respond to pressure situations on the road. If the Brewers had to have played the entire month of September on the road then it may not have made the playoffs. ButMilwaukeemade a good accounting of itself in game three of the NLCS when it lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals inSt. Louis. The high run totals in the first two games on this series have caused both teams to have to go to their bullpens regularly. But the Brewers’ bullpen was not used very much in the NLDS series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That left a fairly refreshed bullpen available to pitch against the Cardinals. That refreshed bullpen did not respond in game two, but it played very well in game three and that could be a good sign for the Brewers.

 

The price per head bookie action in St. Louis has been frantic since the middle of September. Once it was apparent that the Atlanta Braves were definitely in a free fall and the St. Louis Cardinals would have a shot at the NL wild card berth, the fans in St. Louis started to really pay attention. When the Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, the top team in the majors, in its NLDS series then that is when everyone started to take note. The Cardinals have always been known for its offense, but the St. Louis pitching has been consistent so far in the playoffs. With the exception of game one of both the NLDS and NLCS, the St. Louis Cardinals have been able to hold leads with its bullpen. But when you put the St. Louis bullpen stats in any bookie software, you come up with a pitching staff that may be tiring.

 

Milwaukee Brewers

Zack Greinke had a 16-6 record and a 3.83 ERA in the regular season. He is the ace of the Milwaukeestaff and big things were expected from him in these playoffs. But the sportsbook reviews of Greinke’s playoff performance to this point have not been favorable. Greinke has a 1-0 record in the NLCS, but he also has a 9.00 ERA as well. He was the fortunate recipient of some major run support inMilwaukee’s 9-6 win in game one of this series. Greinke is a better pitcher than he has shown so far in the playoffs. When everything is on the line in game five, Greinke will come through for the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

St. Louis Cardinals

Jaime Garcia is a talented, young pitcher that has no playoff experience prior to this season. Game five of the NLCS will only be Garcia’s third postseason start of his career, and he has not responding well to the pressure. So far, Garcia is 0-2 in the playoffs with a 7.36 ERA. He only has six strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. He is having problems with his control, and it can all be traced back to nerves. The MLB fans inSt. Louis are a little nervous themselves as they see that Garcia is starting the important fifth game of this series. But if he is going to improve as a pitcher, then Garcia needs to start getting involved in pressure situations.

 

The Bottom Line

The Brewers are not going to go quietly in this series, and the NLCS should not be expected to only go five games. The series will come back toMilwaukeeand the Brewers may even have momentum leading into that sixth game. This fifth game will show a lot about which team is headed closer to a World Series berth. With its bullpen ready to go, that edge may go toMilwaukee.

 

Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

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