Cubs at Brewers
The Chicago Cubs simply can't solve the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. With the Cubs on the cusp of a victory, Corey Hart tied Friday's series opener with a two-run homer in the ninth before his RBI single in the 13th lifted Milwaukee to an 8-7 triumph. Chicago will attempt to snap its nine-game road losing skid in Wisconsin when the National League Central rivals meet on Saturday.
Former Chicago star Aramis Ramirez is riding an eight-game hitting streak for Milwaukee, which has won only three of its last nine games. The Cubs have limped to a 4-9 mark away from the Windy City this season.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Chris Volstad (0-4, 6.55 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Shaun Marcum (1-1, 3.41)
Volstad has struggled mightily in his first season with the Cubs. The former Marlins hurler has permitted four runs or more in five of his six outings this season. He yielded five runs in as many innings to suffer a 5-1 setback to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday. Volstad has split a pair of decisions versus Milwaukee, but limited the Brewers to a .239 batting average.
Marcum has won all three career starts versus Chicago, registering a 0.90 WHIP while limited the Cubs to a .227 batting average. The 30-year-old notched his second straight quality start by allowing only three runs on five hits in six innings, but settled for his fourth straight no-decision last Saturday versus San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. Eight Chicago pitchers combined for 14 walks on Friday - one shy of the club record set in 1962.
2. Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy extended his hitting streak to eight games with a pinch-hit three-run double in the seventh inning. Lucroy is 2-for-8 with three strikeouts in his career versus Volstad.
3. Brewers closer John Axford saw his streak of consecutive saves end at 49 games. It was the fourth longest streak in league history.