Milwaukee (75-60) at Washington (67-67)
When: Friday, August 31st 2018
Where: Nationals Park,
Washington, DC
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: FS Wisconsin, MASN
Opening Odds: Washington -130/9
The Washington Nationals have been one of the biggest disappointments in all of baseball this season, but have a chance to make their move in the National League Wild Card race this weekend when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the first of three Friday night. Washington is coming off a confidence-grabbing series win at Philadelphia this week, winning three of their last four and averaging over seven runs a game in that span. A series sweep is almost a must, as they’re 7.5 games behind the Brewers, who own the second NL Wild Card spot by 1.5 games over Colorado. Lorenzo Cain extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a go-ahead homer in the 11th inning of Thursday’s 2-1 win over Cincinnati as the Brewers improved to 7-3 in their last 10. Milwaukee starter Jhoulys Chacin can match his career-high of 14 wins on Friday, while Nats right-hander Tanner Roark has lost a career-most 13 games, but has been on a roll of late. Roark is hoping for more run support from his offense to notch his ninth win of the season.
Pitchers: Brewers – Jhoulys Chacin (13-5, 3.61 ERA) | Nationals – Tanner Roark (8-13, 3.95)
Chacin is coming off a rough outing in which he allowed three runs on eight hits and four walks over six innings in a loss to Pittsburgh. In his previous two starts at NL Central-rivals Chicago and St. Louis, he pitched 13 scoreless innings, allowing just seven hits. Chacin is 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA against the Nationals including 5.2 innings of one run ball on July 23rd.
Roark was saddled with a 3-0 loss at the New York Mets last Saturday despite allowing one run on four hits over six innings. He has surrendered just eight total earned runs over the last seven outings, including a win at Milwaukee on July 25th in which he struck out 11 over eight scoreless innings.
You have two hurlers here who are pitching extremely well right now, but the Nationals don’t seem to back Roark, and that can get frustrating. Milwaukee has scored seven runs or more in three of their last four and should be able to get enough off Roark for Chacin to pick up another victory.
Pick: Brewers +112
BETTING TRENDS:
- Brewers are 11-5 in their last 16 Friday games.
- Brewers are 3-7 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 games following an off day.
- Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 7-3 in their last 10 during game 1 of a series.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. National League Central.
- Nationals are 5-0 in Roark’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Nationals are 5-0 in Roark’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
- Nationals are 4-0 in Roark’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 6-1 in Roark’s last 7 starts.
- Nationals are 6-1 in Roark’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Nationals are 5-1 in Roark’s last 6 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Nationals are 2-5 in Roark’s last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Nationals are 2-7 in Roark’s last 9 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 0-4 in Roark’s last 4 Friday starts.
- Over is 5-1 in Brewers last 6 overall.
- Over is 5-1 in Brewers last 6 on grass.
- Over is 5-0 in Brewers last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 11-5-1 in Brewers last 17 Friday games.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Nationals last 8 home games.
- Over is 5-1 in Nationals last 6 games following an off day.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Nationals last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 12-5-1 in Nationals last 18 vs. National League Central.
- Over is 7-3 in Nationals last 10 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Roark’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 6-1 in Roark’s last 7 home starts.
- Under is 5-1-3 in Roark’s last 9 Friday starts.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Roark’s last 7 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Roark’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 10-3-2 in Roark’s last 15 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 11-4 in Roark’s last 15 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Brewers are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
- Over is 7-3-1 in the last 11 meetings in Washington.
