The Astros come in to this series with the Brewers - the first against an NL Central opponent in 2012 - on a fat one-game win streak. They're 1-4 in series-opening games this season, with a -3 run differential.
*Milwaukee is 7-9 this season, and are 4-5 at home, having just dropped two of three to the Rockies.
*The Brewers took 12 of 15 games from the Astros in 2011, and are 19-11 since 2010. And the Astros are 5-16 at Miller Park since 2009.
*Houston will be facing 6'2" 200lb RHP Zack Greinke, who is in the final year of a 4-year $38m deal.
*Greinke was the 6th overall pick in the 2002 draft, after Bryan Bullington, B.J. Upton, Chris Gruler, Adam Loewen, and Clint Everts. Gruler and Everts (Reds and Expos, respectively) never made it to the Majors.
*Greinke is married to 2008 Miss Daytona Beach USA & former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Emily Kuchar. So, you know, respect.
*Greinke's first major league hit was a homer off the Diamondbacks' Russ Ortiz.
*Greinke has never lost a decision at Miller Park. Seriously. He's 12-0 with a 2.84 ERA/1.05 WHIP in 18 games (17 starts). In 111IP, he has allowed 93H/35ER, 135K:24BB.
*The 2009 Cy Young Award winner is 3-0 against the Astros, with a 1.71 ERA / 1.24 WHIP. In 21IP, he has allowed 21H/4ER, 17K:5BB.
*In two starts 2011 against the Astros - both at Minute Maid - he threw 13IP, allowed 13H/3ER, 12K:5BB.
*The numbers against the current Astros aren't pretty. In 51PAs, they have a .729 OPS. Carlos Lee is 3x17 with a homer and a .616 OPS. Chris Snyder is 2x6 with a walk. Jose Altuve is 2x6, and J.D. Martinez is 1x6. Brian Bogusevic is 2x3 with a triple.
*That said, Greinke has made three starts in 2012, and while two of them have been great (averaging a 71 Game Score), his 2nd start on April 12 at Wrigley was a dud. He allowed 9H/8ER in 3.2IP against the Cubs. But against the Dodgers on April 18 at Miller Park, he allowed 4H/2ER, with 7K:2BB in 7IP.
*And the Astros will send out Lucas Harrell to face the Brewers.
*Not sure what the Astros will get from Harrell tonight, as against Colorado and Washington he allowed 7H/1ER, 8K:3BB combined. And at Miami, he allowed 7H/4ER, 2K:4BB in 4IP.
*However, current Brewers have had 14PAs against Harrell in his career, and he has allowed one baserunner: a single to Nyjer Morgan. Ryan Braun and Corey Hart are a combined 0x6 with 1K.
*Harrell has thrown 275 pitches thus far in the season, 172 of them for strikes (62.5%), with 61 strikes looking and 16 swinging strikes.
*Harrell has yet to give up a homer thus far for Houston, and has only allowed two jacks in his 59.2 major league IPs.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
