Simulating MLB Games
NL Central
The season opener in Milwaukee pitted 2019 divisional contenders against one another. In the season opener, Brian Woodruff and relievers held the visiting Chicago Cubs to just four singles in a 5-0 victory. New Brewer first baseman Justin Smoak drove in three runs with a third-inning home run.
The Brewers won Saturday’s game 5-2, Smoak homering again and Keston Hiura also going deep. Chicago’s offense finally warmed upon Sunday when Willson Contreras opened up what to that point was a 3-1 game with a three-run home run highlighting a five-run Cubs ninth. Good thing he did because Milwaukee rallied with four runs in the bottom of the ninth before Rowan Wick got the final out in an 8-5 Cubs decision.
The divisional champion Cardinals met the much-discussed Reds in a three-game season opener in Cincinnati. The taxing opener lasted 16 innings before the Cards emerged with a 4-3 victory on Tyler O’Neill’s base hit scoring backup catcher Matt Wieters.
The Reds rode Trevor Bauer’s pitching to a 2-0 Saturday victory that was decided on Nick Senzel’s two-run seventh-inning home run off Miles Mikolas.
On Sunday the Cardinals produced a half dozen runs by the time Sonny Gray completed two innings on the mound for Cincinnati, and that was more than enough for Cardinals starter John Flaherty. Paul Goldschmidt enjoyed a four-hit day that included home runs in the first and seventh innings. The final was 8-0.