Cardinals @ Brewers

Who will WIN this matchup?

St. Louis Cardinals (9-6)

@ Milwaukee Brewers (10-6)

Starting Pitchers:

Hudson (STL): 0-1; 2.79 ERA

Peralta (MIL) 1-0; 6.91 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

St. Louis Cardinals: 7-3

Milwaukee Brewers: 5-5

Current odds:

St. Louis Cardinals: (+120)

Milwaukee Brewers: (-130)

• The St. Louis Cardinals have picked up steam by winning six of their last seven games as they look to make some headway in what is expected to be an ultra-competitive National League Central this season. The Cardinals aim to continue their winning ways on Monday when they play the opener of a three-game series versus the host Milwaukee Brewers, who won three of four from visiting St. Louis to begin the season.St. Louis slugger Marcell Ozuna, who belted a pair of homers in Sunday’s 9-5 win over Cincinnati in Mexico, hit safely in all four games against Milwaukee and scored a run in each of the last three. Prize offseason acquisition Paul Goldschmidt went deep three times to highlight a four-hit, five-RBI performance in a 9-5 victory against the Brewers on March 29, but is just 6-for-43 with 13 strikeouts in April.

• Milwaukee’s bid to complete a sweep of the sputtering Los Angeles Dodgers went by the wayside on Sunday, as an offense that erupted for 12 runs and 21 hits in the previous two games was limited to one and four, respectively. Travis Shaw, who recorded a double on Sunday, belted a solo homer off Monday starter Dakota Hudson in their last encounter on March 30.

• Hudson didn’t fare well in his first start against Milwaukee, allowing solo homers to Christian Yelich and Shaw as well as a two-run shot to Mike Moustakas among seven hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 4-2 setback on March 30. The 24-year-old, who allowed just two hits over 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief versus the Brewers last season, rebounded by retiring two batters in a brief relief appearance at Pittsburgh on April 3. Hudson worked around four walks and six hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

• Peralta sputtered out of the blocks in his season-opening start, yielding four runs on six hits across three innings of a no-decision against St. Louis. The 22-year-old Dominican pitched better in a pair of outings versus the Cardinals last season, allowing three runs in six frames of a 5-2 setback on Aug. 17 before surrendering a lone run in 3 2/3 innings on Sept. 24. Peralta rebounded from his season-opening start in a big way by scattering two hits and striking out 11 in eight innings of a 1-0 win at Cincinnati before getting shredded for seven runs on eight hits – including two homers – in 3 1/3 frames of a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels.

• Yelich, who is 0-for-8 in his last two games, went 6-for-12 with four homers, eight RBIs and six runs scored in the previous series against St. Louis.

• Cardinals 1B Matt Carpenter, who went deep on Sunday, homered among his four hits in the previous series versus the Brewers.

• Milwaukee CF Lorenzo Cain went 6-for-17 with three runs scored in the previous series against St. Louis.