MLB Baseball
2012-08-13 - Milwaukee Brewers at Colorado Rockies
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
United States: Major League Baseball
Monday 13 August 2012 - First Pitch 8:40pm ET
1:40am (British Standard Time)
Preview
Both of these teams are already out of the race for the post-season, mentally rather than mathematically, as they open a three game series at Coors Field. The Milwaukee Brewers (52-61) are 16 games back in the National League Central, while the Colorado Rockies (41-71) are 20.5 games back in the National League West and only the Houston Astros have fewer wins in the Major Leagues.
The Brewers would likely have a much better record if it wasn't for the bullpen which has blown 22 saves so far in the 2012 season. They come into this game with the chance of not having to rely on the bullpen as they give the ball to Mike Fiers who is 6-4 with a 1.80 ERA in his rookie season.
He has won in each of his last three starts and was pitching a perfect game heading into the 7th inning against the Cincinnati Reds in his last outing.
Colorado have been very poor at home in recent games having lost their last 3 here and also 10 of their last 11. The starting pitching staff have really put the Rockies in a whole as they have gone 0-8 with an 8.66 ERA in those 11 games and it may be tough for them to improve with Jeff Francis going to the mound.
Francis is 3-4 with a 6.06 ERA this season, but he is just 1-2 with an 8.34 ERA in his last five starts. The pitcher is also 2-3 with a 7.09 ERA in his six starts against the Brewers although this is the first time he will have seen them in a couple of years.
Head to Head
Colorado took 2 of 3 games from a series in Milwaukee earlier this season and this will be the final 3 games of the 2012 season series between the teams.
The Rockies have lost their last 2 home games against the Brewers, but they had been 9-2 in the previous 11 games here against them.
Prediction
Neither of these teams is making it to the post-season, but I am going to take the Milwaukee Brewers to show enough to win this opening game of the series at Coors Field.
They have the definite edge on the mound and should have enough joy against Jeff Francis to find a way to win this game by a couple of runs at the least.
That has been priced at odds against and is the second play I will make on the day.
The Pick :
Colorado Rockies 2-4 Milwaukee Brewers
