Brewers Hold #1 Spot
The upstart Milwaukee Brewers, owners of the best record in the major leagues, face their first big challenge of the season Friday when they take on the New York Mets in the opener of a road-heavy stretch of schedule.
Oddsmakers have made New York -110 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 67% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -110 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Milwaukee (24-10) plays 13 of its next 16 on the road, beginning with a three-game series against a Mets club that finished 2006 with the NL’s best record and has the third-best mark in the league this season at 21-12.
The Brewers, though, would rather look at the big picture.
"Everybody is making a big deal about this Mets series, like this is a big test for us," Geoff Jenkins told the team’s official Web site. "Every day is a test – and three games is a big deal – but in the course of the whole season, it is not the end of the world, no matter what happens."
After the Mets series, Milwaukee travels to Philadelphia for four games before returning home next Friday for a three-game series with Minnesota. The Brewers then head back to the road for six in a row against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego.
The Brewers roll into this series having just completed a 9-1 homestand. Milwaukee has won six straight, closing out its three-game series against lowly Washington with a 3-1 win Wednesday.
"Whenever you’re able to win nine out of 10, it’s unbelievable," said closer Francisco Cordero, who recorded his major-league leading 15th save in as many opportunities. "We’ve had good pitching and hitting and defense, a little bit of everything."
The Brewers will send Jeff Suppan (5-2, 2.63 ERA) to the mound Friday. The right-hander won’t be a particularly pleasant sight for New York, which watched him pitch seven innings of one-run ball to lead St. Louis past the Mets 3-1 in Game 7 of last year’s NL championship series.
The free-agent acquisition has won his last five starts, but is coming off an abbreviated appearance after being hit off the right leg with a sharp grounder Saturday. Suppan allowed two runs and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings against Pittsburgh in the 6-3 win.
Suppan has given up three runs over his last 22 2-3 innings. He’s 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA in six starts against the Mets.
New York will counter with Jorge Sosa (1-0, 2.84), who had a solid Mets debut Saturday against the Diamondbacks while starting in place of the injured Orlando Hernandez. The right-hander, sent to the minors after a disappointing spring, gave up two runs in 6 1-3 innings for a 6-2 victory.
"I went down to Triple-A and kept working hard," Sosa said through an interpreter. "It was well-deserved to be back here and I’m happy to be back in the major leagues."
Sosa is 0-1 with a 0.95 ERA in six appearances against the Brewers, including two starts.
The Mets, 7-7 at Shea Stadium, return home after a 5-2 road trip that ended with them taking the final two games of a three-game set with the Giants. David Wright hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning Wednesday after Carlos Delgado tied the game in the eighth with his second solo homer of the afternoon, and New York went on to a 5-3 win.
"I think the last four or five games I felt much better at the plate, better rhythm at the plate," said Delgado, who hit .292 (7-for-24) during the trip. He’s batting just .214 this season.
Milwaukee and New York split six games last season, with the Mets taking two of three at home.
by: Dave Michaels – thespread.com – Email Us
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