Two struggling divisional contenders meet tonight as the Boston Red Sox travel to face the Milwaukee Brewers in what projects to be a pitcher-dominated affair.
Both clubs find themselves in remarkably similar positions entering this three-game series. The Red Sox (27-28) sit 6.5 games behind the Yankees in the AL East, while the Brewers (26-28) trail the Cubs by the identical margin in the NL Central.
Boston arrives following a disappointing series finale against Baltimore, where they managed just one run in Sunday's 5-1 defeat. This tepid offensive showing came immediately after plating 25 runs in the series' first two victories.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, enters with some momentum after securing a 6-5 win over Pittsburgh, continuing their recent offensive surge that has produced five or more runs in seven of their last eight contests.
The pitching matchup features two hurlers trending in positive directions. Boston sends left-hander Garrett Crochet to the mound, who ranks seventh in baseball with a stellar 1.98 ERA. Crochet has been remarkably consistent, allowing two or fewer runs in five consecutive starts while recording at least six strikeouts in four of those outings.
According to Statbet analysts, Crochet's strikeout potential against Milwaukee's lineup makes him a particularly intriguing pitcher to watch, especially considering he fanned eight Brewers in his last meeting with them.
For Milwaukee, right-hander Chad Patrick (2-4, 3.23 ERA) takes the ball after an impressive showing against Baltimore where he surrendered just one earned run on four hits while striking out seven in 4⅔ innings.
The historical data between these clubs suggests a tight contest, as they've split their last ten meetings with neither team managing more than two consecutive victories. However, one consistent trend has emerged: the Under has hit in three straight encounters and seven of their last ten overall.
Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins could be a key factor tonight. He's collected hits in eight of his last eleven games and has shown particular proficiency against left-handed pitching this season, batting .277 in those matchups.
While both offenses rank in the top half of MLB in scoring production, the pitching matchup and recent history between these teams point strongly toward a lower-scoring affair, making the Under 7.5 an appealing prediction for tonight's series opener.
