A Schelling For Your Thoughts

MILWAUKEE — If the Brewers can score first on Sunday, it would go a long way toward winning Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

Through five games this series, the Cardinals have gotten on the board first in each of them, including scoring in the first inning of the first three games and the second inning of the last two. Both of the Brewers’ wins came from behind.

“I think that’s always important for our team,” manager Ron Roenicke said of scoring early. “I think when we’re really good, we put a lot of pressure on them early. We haven’t been able to do that, but it is important.”

During the regular season, the Brewers went 65-28 when scoring first, and 31-38 when their opponent is the first to put a run across. In the postseason, Milwaukee has won two of three games when scoring first, while going 3-4 when the opponent scores first.

With the way the Cardinals’ bullpen has performed through five games — working four or more innings in each game and limiting the Brewers to four earned runs in 21 2/3 innings — early runs have been key for both sides.

“It’s always better if we come out and bust out early,” Roenicke said. “I think the crowd gets involved then, I think our players feed off that. So hopefully, we will do that.”