The Milwaukee Brewers and the San Francisco Giants meet Saturday in MLB action from Oracle Park. This will be the third installment in a four-game series. The Brewers eked out a one-run win in the opener. On Friday, the Giants secured a comeback victory to even it up. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Milwaukee needed 10 innings to win the Thursday opener, bagging 13 hits on the way to a 3-2 victory. On Friday in game two, the Brewers had a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth but it all fell apart in an eventual 8-5 loss. Starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff put up 5.2 innings with two earned on five hits and five walks.
Eric Lauer will make the start for the Brewers on Saturday. Across his 16 starts so far Lauer is 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA. In 89.1 innings total he has 38 earned on 79 hits and 28 walks with 96 strikeouts.
Over on the Giants’ side, they could only muster four team hits during the extra-innings loss Thursday. In the Friday matchup, San Francisco bagged six runs in the ninth inning on the way to 11 team hits (and a walk-off grand slam from Mike Yastrzemski). Alex Wood went 4.2 clean innings in the start with four hits and seven Ks.
Starter for the Giants on Saturday will be Alex Cobb. In 13 starts so far Cobb is 3-4 with a 4.57 ERA. In 63.0 innings total he’s managed 32 earned, 67 hits, 20 walks and 63 strikeouts.
The Brewers are 2-5 in their last seven Saturday games and 1-4 in their last five in game three of a series. The over is 4-1 in the Milwaukee’s last five Saturday games.
Meanwhile, the Giants are 4-1 in their last five Saturday games and 12-5 in their last 17 versus a lefty starter. The under is 7-3 in San Francisco’s last 10 in game three of a series.
PICK: I’m going to try the Brewers in this one, despite the rough Friday. Lauer has been pretty solid over his last trio of outings. In a total of 15.1 innings during that stretch, he’s managed six earned on 14 hits and five walks. Lauer hasn’t gotten a decision in any of those, though. As for Cobb, he’s given up six earned in 12.0 innings during his last pair. We should have a pretty solid pitching matchup here, and I think Milwaukee has a solid chance at a victory.