MLB Betting Preview
Marlins vs. Brewers
7/7/12
The Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins will come into Wednesday afternoon’s Fourth of July Game at Miller Park with identical 38-42 records thanks in large part to an Aramis Ramirez two-out two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning for a thrilling 13-12 victory. That Ramirez homer capped off an amazing thriller full of ups and downs and offensive fireworks, including 31 total hits, eight of which left the park.
Milwaukee took a commanding 9-2 lead late into the seventh inning but obviously squandered it as the Marlins scored nine times over two innings to tie the Game. Miami shortstop Jose Reyes then hit a solo blast in the top of the 10th inning to give the Marlins a brief 12-11 lead to temporarily deflate the home fans, who were sent into a frenzy a few minutes later when Ramirez drilled the walk-off bomb.
The Brewers will try to keep the momentum going and beat the Marlins for an 11th straight time as they get ready for the third Game of a Four-Game series in which they have had come from behind in the late innings to win each of the first time. They will be going for a season-high five-Game winning streak overall and are hopeful that their All-Star right fielder Ryan Braun can continue to swing for power and hurt the opposition with his bat. Braun leads the National League with 23 homers and is tied for second with 58 RBI.
The home team will give the ball to veteran lefty Randy Wolf (2-6, 5.78 ERA) as he takes the mound for his 17th start of the season. Milwaukee is a measly 5-11 in his first 16 outings with the OVER going 10-5-1. He is a disastrous 0-1 with a 9.19 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 16 earned runs during that stretch with the OVER cashing each time.
Wolf is winless in five starts during the day this season at 0-3 even though he has a fairly respectable 3.99 ERA. The Brewers have lost Four of those five Games with the UNDER going 3-1-1. In nine starts at Miller Park this season, Wolf is 1-4 with a 4.92 ERA with the OVER going 6-3.
Miami had won Four in a row overall before coming to Milwaukee and will send right-hander Josh Johnson (5-5, 3.80 ERA) to the mound for the 17th time. He has pitched six innings or more and allowed two earned runs or less in five consecutive starts but is just 2-2 over that period. Despite having three very good starts in a row — allowing a mere Four earned runs total and sporting a very healthy 1.89 ERA — he has only notched one win with the Marlins scoring a combined seven runs in losing two of them.
The UNDER is 2-1 in Johnson’s last three starts and has also cashed in Four of his last five starts overall. In his six road starts this season, he is only 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA, and the Marlins have dropped three of his Four outings under the sun despite him posting a solid 3.20 ERA. Johnson is unbeaten against Milwaukee during his career with a 3-0 mark and 3.06 ERA in five starts.