by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Aug 21, 2021
Game time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Where to watch: MASN 2, Bally Sports Wisconsin
Season-to-date (entering Saturday)
Nationals: 53-68 (4th place, NL East)
Brewers: 74-49 (1st place, NL Central)
Recent form
Nationals: 3-7 in last 10, won three straight
Brewers: 7-3 in last 10
Projected lineup
Nationals:
Victor Robles (R) CF
Alcides Escobar (R) SS
Juan Soto (L) RF
Josh Bell (S) 1B
Carter Kieboom (R) 3B
Lane Thomas (R) LF
Riley Adams (R) C
Luis Garcia (L) 2B
Sean Nolin (L) P
Brewers:
Tyrone Taylor (R) LF
Willy Adames (R) SS
Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
Avisail Garcia (R) RF
Luis Urias (R) 2B
Rowdy Tellez (L) 1B
Lorenzo Cain (R) CF
Manny Pina (R) C
Adrian Houser (R) P
Probable starting pitchers: Nolin (WAS) vs. Houser (MIL)
Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Brewers -280, Nationals +225
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Nationals - Brewers preview
The Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals will conclude their three-game series at American Family Field on Sunday in an early-afternoon matchup.
Milwaukee is still in firm control of the National League Central, holding a 7.5-game lead on the surging Cincinnati Reds despite the Reds gaining two games as of late.
The bad news: Milwaukee’s weekend got off to a rough start by losing the series opener to Washington on Friday night, a 4-1 loss. The Brewers got 5.1 solid innings from starter Brett Anderson despite allowing three earned runs and three walks, but Milwaukee’s bats went quiet in a rare instance at home.
Avisail Garcia drove in the only run for the Brewers, a solo home run in the seventh inning to keep Milwaukee in it. But the Nationals got an insurance run in the top of the ninth to ensure the win. The Milwaukee bullpen did everything it could (three hits allowed in 3.2 innings), but it just wasn’t enough.
Adrian Houser is expected to get the start for the Brewers on Sunday. The 28-year-old right-hander enters the contest 7-5 with a 3.55 ERA. He’s won three of his last six starts, posting a 2.70 earned-run average in that stint. His last start came Aug. 3, when he walked five in 6.1 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
What a weird time to be a Nationals supporter; lose seven straight, then follow it with an impressive two-game sweep at home against the Toronto Blue Jays, then this win which might be their best post-trade deadline.
The Nationals got 6.1 IP of quality work from Patrick Corbin, who had seven strikeouts with only 1 ER. Normally, this is a night where Washington’s offense would need to get it done with more than four runs. It was the timing of these runs that matters; a one-out, two-run triple from Lane Thomas, a two-out single from Riley Adams, and a two-out, bases loaded walk from Josh Bell.
Even for a brief moment, it’s good to see the Nationals put together this kind of stretch. When they traded Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, it was going to be a rough time. To reel off three straight wins of this caliber is encouraging for a team trying to find its identity.
Sean Nolin will make his second start this season. The 31-year-old left-hander is back in the major leagues since he last pitched for the Oakland Athletics in 2015, where he made six starts. He lasted three innings and allowed four earned runs Aug. 12 against the New York Mets.
Betting trends
The Nationals are 6-9 when the moneyline is between +150 and +200.
As a favorite of -200 or more, the Brewers are 13-2.
Prediction
The Brewers have to win at some point, right? Might as well make it dramatic and wrap up the series with a dub. Brewers win 7-4.
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
