Cubs at Brewers
The rotation has been an issue for the Milwaukee Brewers all season long with a 4.78 ERA and only 26 quality starts in 105 games, and things may be on the verge of getting worse. The Brewers hope to overcome yet another injury to a starting pitcher and turn to one of their few healthy ones Saturday when they host the Chicago Cubs in the second of three games against their reeling National League Central rival.
Gio Gonzalez was in the middle of one of his best starts of the year Friday before exiting after 6 1/3 innings with a left shoulder injury, making him the third Milwaukee starter to leave a game due to injury over the last six contests - joining Brandon Woodruff and Jhoulys Chacin. Adrian Houser and Josh Hader were nearly flawless in relief after his departure, and the Brewers found their offense late in a 3-2 series-opening win that left them two games out of first place in the division. Chicago, which has spent most of the month nursing a slim lead in the Central, finally gave up its share Friday to St. Louis with its fourth loss in five tries. The Cubs have dropped eight of their last 11 away from Chicago and are a NL-worst 19-30 on the road.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ABC 7 (Chicago), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-6, 3.87 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.90)
Lester was scratched from his last scheduled turn due to a fever, so he'll make his 400th career start this weekend instead in hopes he can reach the 10-win mark for a seventh straight season. The five-time All-Star escaped with a no-decision on July 19 against San Diego after permitting four runs and a career-high tying 12 hits over six innings. Lester hasn't given up a homer to anyone on the Brewers' roster and won his only start against them this season, allowing one unearned run over 6 2/3 frames on May 12.
Anderson fell one out shy of a quality start for the second straight outing and third time in five turns Monday against Cincinnati, yielding two runs on seven hits and two walks across 5 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old hasn't made it through six innings in any of his last eight trips to the mound but has given up two runs or fewer in six of them. Willson Contreras (7-for-13, three doubles, home run) has tormented Anderson, who is 5-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts) against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. With a loss on either Saturday or Sunday, the Cubs will fall to 0-8-1 in their last nine road series.
2. Brewers 2B Keston Hiura is batting .455 during his 14-game hitting streak - tied with Dale Sveum (1986) and Scott Podsednik (2003) for the third-longest run by a rookie in club history.
3. Chicago 3B-OF Kris Bryant, who singled twice in three at-bats and drew a walk Friday, is batting .390 during a 16-game on-base streak.