Brewers put wild card hopes to the test this weekend

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ST. LOUIS - Milwaukee Brewers will put their Wild Card prospects to the test, when they open a three-game series at Saint Louis tonight. The Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves currently hold the National League Wild Cards, and the Brewers are seven games back with three other teams ahead of them.

Milwaukee has played its way back into the race by winning 13 of their last 17. Yesterday, the Brewers lost at Miami 6-2, and split their four-game series with the Marlins. Marco Estrada gave up two doubles and a single to his first three hitters, as Miami scored three in the first inning to get all the runs they needed. Estrada took the loss after winning his previous two decisions. He’s now 2-6. The Milwaukee offense struggled, going for 0-for-7 with runners-in-scoring position. Ryan Braun and Norichika Aoki drove in the Crew’s only runs with sacrifice flies. The Brewers extended their Major League-leading streak of 76 games with an extra-base hit when Aoki tripled. But that was Milwaukee’s only extra-base hit of the day. Josh Johnson struck out seven in seven innings for the win, and every position starter got at least one hit as Miami won for just the second time in its last eight games.

Right-hander Yovani Gallardo will start for the Brewers tonight in Saint Louis against Cardinals’ right-hander Kyle Lohse.

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The Brewers have changed their minds about not calling up infielder Taylor Green for September. At first, general manager Doug Melvin did not believe that Green would get enough playing time. But that changed after third baseman Aramis Ramirez strained his lower back on Wednesday night at Miami. Ramirez sat out yesterday’s loss to the Marlins – and manager Ron Roenicke says it would be a big loss if his clean-up hitter is out for much longer. The skipper says it could be a one-day thing – or Ramirez could be out a long longer. Green had 81 at-bats with Milwaukee earlier in the season. He batted .198 with two homers and 10 RBI’s before he was sent down to Triple-“A” Nashville, where he hit .273 with seven homers and 29 RBI’s in 77 contests. Green will join the Brewers tonight in Saint Louis.

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