Brewers at Cubs
While the Milwaukee Brewers are far from playoff contention, at least
they have gotten their swagger back at Miller Park. The Brewers will try
for a three-game sweep Wednesday when they host the Chicago Cubs, who are having trouble winning anywhere,
especially in Wisconsin. Milwaukee, which was a major league-best 57-24
at home in 2011, is 37-28 this season after winning 10 of its last 12. Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy has
been a big factor lately. He is 6-for-14 in his last four games, and
3-for-7 with two homers and six RBIs in the series. His two-run double in the sixth inning wound up being crucial in Milwaukee's 5-2 victory Tuesday.
The Cubs have lost 17 of their last 21 games and 14 of their last 17
contests at Miller Park since the start of the 2011 season as they
continue to play out the string and take stock in their future. They may have found a future starter in left-hander Chris Rusin,
who had some command issues but allowed only one run and one hit in
five innings Tuesday. The Cubs' Travis Wood hasn't won since July 6, a span of seven starts, but is 3-0
lifetime against Milwaukee. He will oppose Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo,
who has won four straight outings.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Travis Wood (4-9, 4.83 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (12-8, 3.67)
Wood has recorded six losses during his slide, including a 7-3 setback
at Cincinnati on Friday when he allowed seven runs (six earned) and nine
hits in five innings for his third straight loss on the road. In his previous three outings, Wood suffered two
losses despite posting a 2.50 ERA in 18 innings. The Brewers' roster is
hitting .182 against him, with Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez a combined 6-for-20.
Gallardo, who has allowed six runs in his last four outings (28 2/3
innings), yielded one run and four hits in seven innings in Milwaukee's
6-2 victory over Philadelphia on Friday. Gallardo is 7-3 with a 3.24 ERA at Miller Park and has won three straight starts
there. Gallardo is 5-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 12 starts against the Cubs.
Starlin Castro is 9-for-23 with three doubles against him while Alfonso Soriano is 4-for-23 with a homer and 10 strikeouts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee (55-66) has already matched last season's loss total.
2. Rusin was the Cubs' 11th starter this season, their most since they tied a franchise record by using 15 in 2006.
3. The Brewers lead the season series 9-3.