Brewers keep NL Central hopes alive against Houston

Baseball Betting Lines

09/05/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers are in the thick of an NL Central race and will shoot for a series win over the Houston Astros tonight in the finale of a three-game series at Miller Park.

Milwaukee has won four of five and pulled within a half game of the Chicago Cubs for the Central lead after Tuesday's 5-3 victory. Rookie Ryan Braun went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored to lead the way. Corey Hart and Geoff Jenkins each went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Brewers, who benefited from the Cubs' loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last night.

Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva, making just his second start of the season, allowed just one run on five hits over six innings for the win. He struck out six and walked two. Francisco Cordero recorded the final three outs for his 40th save of the season.

Cordero set a Brewers record for saves in a season, surpassing the previous mark of 39 that was shared by Dan Kolb (2004) and Derrick Turnbow (2005).

Yovani Gallardo gets the nod this evening for Milwaukee and the rookie is 6-4 with a 4.66 ERA in 15 games (12 starts). He is 2-1 in his last three outings and beat Pittsburgh on August 31, holding the Bucos to a pair of runs in seven innings of work.

The righty will make his first-career appearance versus Houston.

Meanwhile, the Astros have lost three of four games. Chris Burke went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and Hunter Pence ended 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored last night in the loss.

Houston starter Brandon Backe made his first start of the season and allowed four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings to suffer the loss. The right-hander had been out for the entire season with an elbow injury that required surgery last September.

Taking the hill for Houston on Wednesday will be Matt Albers, who is 4-6 with a 5.36 ERA over 26 games (13 starts) this season. Albers is 2-1 over his previous four trips to the hill, including an August 30 win over St. Louis.

Albers held the Cardinals to just one run and three hits in seven frames. He is 0-0 with a 2.57 earned run average in two career appearances (one start) against Milwaukee.

The Brewers own the Astros this season, having recorded a 10-4 mark so far in 2007. Milwaukee is 6-2 at Miller Park against Houston this season.

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