The Milwaukee Brewers have won only one game on the season so far, but the way they've struggled at the plate it's not that big of a surprise. The team has mustered 16 runs over their first five games and will visit the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon, a team that has been involved in quite a few low-scoring contests so far and is sending its ace to the mound. I think this game has a lot factors pointing towards a low-scoring contest.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - The Cardinals will hand the ball to Adam Wainwright who's coming off a healthy seven days of rest since tossing six scoreless innings as he conceded only five hits with six strike-outs and no walks in his season-debut at Wrigley's. He's off a 2014 season where he posted a 2.38 ERA over 32 starts and posted a 2.97 ERA over 30 1/3 innings of work against the Brewers. Milwaukee will counter with Matt Garza who was torched for four runs on eight hits over five innings his first start of the season. He's better than that though, and even if he struggles initially we can rely on a solid Brewers bullpen that has compiled a 2.53 ERA with 24 strikeouts and three walks in 21 1/3 innings so far on the season.

2. Trends - None of the last four meetings in St. Louis have gone over the total and the under is 8-3 in the Cardinals last 11 at home overall. Combine that with the under going 9-1 in Brewers last 10 road games and I think we're having a good case for this game going under the total as well.

3. X-Factor - The Cardinals Matt Carpenter has been as productive as ever so far on the season going 6-for-20 over his first five games. He's only 1-for-11 against Garza over his career though and might struggle today as well.


Selection: This is a play on MIL@STL to go under the total (10*)