Cards, Brewers set up for epic final day

*Photo from Forbes*

   For those of you who like end of season drama, you're in luck. Although both the Milwaukee Brewers and St.Louis Cardinals will be in the postseason, the NL central race is still up for grabs. The Brewers sit one game back of the Cardinals entering the final game of the season, and if they can win and the Cardinals lose, their will be a 163rd game on Monday to decide the NL central, which would be in St.Louis if it were to come down to that. 

   The Brewers will be on the road in Colorado, taking on the Rockies, which starts at 3:10 PM EST. The Rockies won 3-2 on a Trevor Story walkoff homer last night. The Brewers will start Adrian Houser against Colorado's Jeff Hoffman. A key factor for Milwaukee will be the absence of Lorenzo Cain from the lineup, who is nursing a left ankle sprain. With the implications of this game, Cain could be available to pinch hit. Ryan Braun is also out of the lineup with a strained left calf, but he may be available to pinch hit as well. He should be ready for postseason play in any case. 

   The Brewers will need help from fellow division rivals in the Chicago Cubs, who have beaten the Cardinals on both Friday and Saturday night. That game will start at 3:15 EST. The Cardinals will send ace Jack Flaherty to the mound, looking to lock up the NL central. Derek Holland starts for Chicago. Putting Flaherty on the mound today would not only take his name out of the running to start a potential game 163, but it also takes him out of the running to start the wild card game if need be. He may be able to start game 1 of the NLDS. 

   If the Cardinals win this game, they win the NL central, and will play the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, with the Braves owning home field advantage. If the Cardinals lose and Brewers win, game 163 will be played in St.Louis on Monday. If the Brewers win game 163, they would play the Braves in the NLDS, and the Cardinals would play the Washington Nationals in the wild card game in Washington. If the Brewers lose or the Cardinals win, they would have to play the Nationals in the wild card game on Tuesday night in Washington. Get ready, this could be getting crazy.