Brewers at Cubs
The Milwaukee Brewers were hovering around the .500 mark in late April before getting their act together, and now look to take over sole possession of first place in the National League Central when they visit the division-rival Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon. The Brewers’ pitching staff boasts a 1.50 ERA during a season-high seven-game winning streak after Friday’s 7-0 victory drew them into a virtual tie with the Cubs atop the NL Central.
“We’re a little closer to the Promised Land,” Milwaukee center fielder Lorenzo Cain told MLB.com after his team scored twice in each of the final three innings Friday. “We’ve been playing some great ball lately. That’s the team we know we can be.” Unbeaten right-hander Zach Davies goes after his fifth victory when he takes the mound in the middle contest of the three-game series Saturday and the Cubs will counter with veteran lefty Cole Hamels, who has also yet to lose this season. Chicago, which has allowed 32 runs while going 1-3 against the Brewers this season, had won 10 of 11 games overall before Friday’s series opener when it was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position to get shut out for the third time this season. Javier Baez (13-for-35) and Willson Contreras (13-for-34, three homers) take nine-game hitting streaks into Saturday’s contest for the Cubs.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Zach Davies (4-0, 1.56 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Cole Hamels (3-0, 3.38)
Davies earned his fourth victory of the year last Sunday while limiting the New York Mets to two runs on six hits with five strikeouts over a season-high 7 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old Arizona native held the Cubs to two unearned runs across 5 2/3 innings in a victory on April 7, improving to 6-5 with a 3.28 ERA in his career against the NL Central rivals. Kris Bryant is 14-for-38 with a pair of homers versus Davies, who has served up just three homers over 40 1/3 frames in 2019.
Hamels received his third straight no-decision on Monday when he allowed three runs on five hits across six innings in a 6-5 loss to Miami. The 35-year-old San Diego native gave up eight runs over 26 innings in his first four starts this season before yielding 10 across 16 2/3 frames in his last four outings. Ryan Braun is 13-for-43 with three homers against Hamels, who beat Milwaukee with six innings of two-run ball on April 6 and improved to 8-3 lifetime versus the Brewers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo needs one run scored to reach 600 in his career and Baez is three RBis from 300.
2. Milwaukee INF Mike Moustakas is 11-for-40 during his current eight-game hitting streak and owns 499 career RBIs.
3. Cubs INF Daniel Descalso (ankle) could return to the starting lineup this weekend after being relegated to pinch-hitting since May 4.