Brewers at Cubs
Nobody could blame Ryan Dempster if he tries to go the distance for the Chicago Cubs in the third contest of a four-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Dempster pitched great in his first outing of the season on Thursday, only to see the bullpen do what it has done several times in the first week of 2012: cough up the lead. Milwaukee has scored 14 runs in two games against Chicago pitching.
The Brewers have won two in a row to rebound nicely from losing two out of three at home to St. Louis. Center fielder Carlos Gomez had two hits Tuesday night and is hitting .455 for a Milwaukee team that to this point hasn’t missed slugger Prince Fielder, who signed with Detroit in the offseason. Only two Chicago regulars are hitting above .250: Alfonso Soriano (.353) and Starlin Castro (.286).
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North-Wisconsin (Milwaukee), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Milwaukee RH Yovani Gallardo (0-1, ERA 14.73) vs. Chicago RH Ryan Dempster (0-0, ERA 1.17).
Gallardo was critical of his first start of 2012, and with good reason. The right-hander gave up seven hits – including four home runs – and six runs in just 3 2/3 innings of a loss to St. Louis. Gallardo also walked five hitters.
Dempster deserved a far better fate in his season debut, striking out 10 in 7 2/3 dazzling innings against Washington. But his one-run, two hit performance went for naught when the Chicago bullpen imploded in the late innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Brewers and pitcher Zack Greinke’s agent have suspended talks surrounding a contract extension. Greinke is set to become a free agent at season’s end.
2. One night after his streak of consecutive games reaching base ended at 43 (dating back to last Aug. 15), Castro started a new streak with a first-inning double Tuesday.
3. The Brewers and Cubs meet in the series finale on Thursday. Milwaukee then heads to Atlanta, while Chicago travels to St. Louis.