Game Thread #70: Milwaukee Brewers (39-30) vs St. Louis Cardinals (38-31)

Gonzalez (7.71 ERA | 5.70 FIP) vs Flaherty (6.00 ERA | 4.13 FIP)

After a close 2-0 win last night thanks to nearly perfect pitching, the Brewers square off against the Cardinals for the second of a four-game series against two teams that have traded places multiple times atop the National League Central.

Chi Chi Gonzalez will make his Brewers debut tonight in place of Aaron Ashby, who was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday with left forearm inflammation.

Needless to say, starting a veteran who has compiled uninspiring numbers for most of his career against a division rival with some potent hitters puts Milwaukee in an unfavorable situation. However, they could benefit from the absence of Paul Goldschmidt, who is sitting out tonight for the Cardinals with back tightness.

Jack Flaherty gets the ball for St. Louis. The 26-year-old was recently considered one of the game’s rising young starting pitchers, but injuries have stalled that ascent in recent years. Oblique and shoulder injuries limited him to just 17 games (15 starts) last season. The shoulder woes reappeared in spring training this year, so he did not make his season debut until last Wednesday.

Lineups