Milwaukee @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2015 ) Milwaukee 2, Chi. Cubs 9
Coming off series victories over a pair of fellow National League Central contenders, the Chicago Cubs hope to beat up on the bottom of the division when they welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Wrigley Field for a three-game series starting Monday. The Cubs have swept their past two series with the Brewers, winning seven straight meetings to take a 9-4 edge in the season series.
The Cubs had their five-game winning streak snapped with a 4-3 loss to St. Louis on Sunday but took two of three from the division-leading Cardinals after winning three of four at Pittsburgh. Chicago trails the Pirates by two games in the race for home-field advantage in the wild-card game and is six back of St. Louis. The last-place Brewers snapped an eight-game skid with an 8-4 win over Cincinnati on Sunday before setting out on a 10-game road trip. They won’t be thrilled to start it against Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel, who is 7-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 10 starts against Milwaukee.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Wily Peralta (5-9, 4.41 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.73)
Peralta has regressed after breaking out with 17 wins a year ago. The 26-year-old Dominican is winless in his last three starts and was tagged for five runs and six hits in four innings in a loss to St. Louis last time out. Peralta turned in one of his better outings of the season against Chicago on May 1, allowing one run over six innings but taking the loss in a 1-0 defeat.
Hammel has been inconsistent since the All-Star break and endured another rough outing Tuesday at Pittsburgh, giving up four runs and five hits before being lifted after 3 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old has struggled with his command of late, issuing seven walks over his past two starts. Some of Hammel’s best work this season has come against the Brewers – he’s 2-0 with a 2.59 ERA in four meetings in 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs INF Starlin Castro, who is 12-for-27 with two homers versus Peralta, is hitting .368 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 35 games since losing the starting shortstop job to rookie Addison Russell.
2. The Brewers are 0-81 when trailing after eight innings.
3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo is 9-for-21 with a homer and seven RBIs during a six-game hitting streak and is 12-for-26 with four homers against Peralta.
PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Brewers 4