In the first of a four-game series between the Milwaukee Brewers (7-18) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (7-18) at Miller Park, Kyle Lohse (1-4, 7.28 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (1-2, 3.73 ERA) get the ball. The game gets underway at 7:20 p.m. ET on Monday, May. 4 and will air on SportsNet LA and FSN-WI.
Lohse is 2-4 with a 4.35 ERA against the Dodgers in his career, and faces a strong Los Angeles offense that’s hitting .263 on the year. Adam Lind (.318, 9 Rs, 4 HRs, 13 RBIs) went 1 for 3 yesterday with one run. In his pitching opportunities against the Brewers, Kershaw is 5-4 with a 3.05 ERA. He meets a less-than-stellar Milwaukee offense that’s batting just .227. Andre Ethier (.321, 12 Rs, 4 HRs, 9 RBIs) has been hitting the ball well, going 2 for 4 yesterday.
Milwaukee is a +158 underdog in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at seven runs. The Brewers have a losing record of 5-11 when playing as the underdog and an overall money line of -1,095. Milwaukee’s pitching staff has put it all together in the past 10 games. Its average runs allowed per game dropped to 3.4 during that span, compared to its 4.9 season average.
Across the field, the Dodgers have a nice record of 14-7 when they are favored and are +398 overall with the money line. They sport the top-ranked offense in the NL, averaging 5.0 runs per game. Los Angeles is one of the top hitting teams in the league with 95 extra base hits. The Dodgers average 3.7 walks per game, making them the most disciplined team in the NL. The Dodgers are a problem for opposing batters, sporting a 3.24 ERA this season. They have a WHIP of 1.13, fifth best in the MLB. They also have some of the most overpowering arms in baseball with an NL-high 9.2 strikeouts per game.
Taking the hill against the Dodgers will be the right-hander Lohse. Right-handed starters haven’t been any trouble for them (14-6), but it’s a different story when they play on the road (3-5).
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD, O/U – Over
Notes
Los Angeles won its last game in a shutout, its fourth of the season. Milwaukee has been shut out four times this season.
The Dodgers are 2-2 in games that go into extra innings. Meanwhile, the Brewers are 0-1 in such matchups.
Having scored one run in their last game, the Dodgers are going to have to up their game if they want to win this matchup. The Brewers have a 2-1 record in games where opponents scored that many runs or fewer.
When they outhit their opponents, the Brewers are 4-2. The Dodgers have a 14-2 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 27th in runs, Milwaukee has earned 82 this season. Los Angeles ranks 10th with 115 runs.
Ranking 29th, Milwaukee is near the bottom of the league in walks, notching 49 this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top 10 at sixth with 88.
When the Brewers hit at least one home run, they are 6-5. When the Dodgers hit at least one homer, they have a 14-5 record.
