Brewers at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have used some quality pitching to take the first two of a three-game series with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and will try to ride another of their veteran hurlers to a sweep Sunday afternoon. After Jose Quintana fueled a 6-2 win in the series opener with six strong innings, Cole Hamels came off the injured list to toss five scoreless in Saturday's 4-1 triumph for the Cubs.
Albert Amora Jr. went 3-for-3 with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly as Chicago won its third straight over the Brewers and pulled into a tie with the St. Louis Cardinals, who play later Saturday, atop the National League Central. Yu Darvish has been on a nice roll for the Cubs of late and he'll get the call in the series finale at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee, which fell three games behind the leaders in the NL Central with Saturday's loss, gives the ball to Adrian Houser. Rookie second baseman Keston Hiura was 0-for-4 on Saturday for the Brewers and is 3-for-22 over his last five games to see his average drop from .333 to .309.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, TBS, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Adrian Houser (4-4, 3.99 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Yu Darvish (3-5, 4.46)
Houser will be making his eighth start of the year and his second in a row after giving up one run over five innings at Oakland on Tuesday. He got the win in relief in his previous appearance with 1 2/3 perfect innings against the Cubs on July 26. The 26-year-old is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his seven starts.
Darvish has finished exactly six innings in each of his last four starts and has a 2.25 ERA in that solid stretch. He yielded one earned run in 12 innings over two starts versus Milwaukee last year. The Japan native is 1-3 with a 4.98 ERA at home in 2019.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs designated RHP Brad Brach for assignment to make room on the roster for Hamels.
2. The Brewers recalled RHP Aaron Wilkerson and optioned RHP Jay Jackson to Triple-A San Antonio.
3. Cubs All-Star C Willson Contreras left Saturday's game with a hamstring injury and will have an MRI on Monday.