The Cubs (73-43) swept a pair from the Los Angeles Angels last week and then split a four-game series with division rival St. Louis to maintain a 12-game lead in the National League Central.
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Despite being separated by 21.0 games in the standings, the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs have played their 2016 season series fairly evenly with the Cubs winning 5 of 8 games and leading in runs scored 30-28. One game is a makeup from an April 27 rainout. Milwaukee is 52-64 overall, 19-35 on the road and 55-54-7 with the over. “To me, the three walks are the three runs”. Braun was slow to get up as the trainer and manager Craig Counsell ran out to check on him. “We were anxious a little about what would happen after losing the hitter (Jonathan Lucroy) behind him but he’s responded really well and he’s certainly been swinging the bat great”.
Cubs starter Jason Hammel, who has focused since the end of past year on second-half fades in recent seasons, suddenly looks like the best second-half pitcher in baseball. He gave up three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two while throwing 103 pitches.The Cubs made it 4-0 in the eighth as Coghlan’s sacrifice to center drove in Ben Zobrist after Chicago had runners at second and third with none out on Brewers reliever Damien Magnifico.Cahill had been on the disabled list since July 9 with patellar tendinitis in his right knee but worked five recent outings at Triple-A Iowa.
While Cahill, a one-time All-Star, rebooted his game, Matt Garza (4-5, 4.87 ERA) has struggled to find focus and consistency since getting traded from the Cubs to the Rangers in the summer of 2013, one of many win-later deals that transformed this franchise. Bullpen weakness was a contributing factor in Cubs losses on Saturday and Sunday.
The Cubs allowed a bunch of late inning home runs in their series against the Cardinals. “The fastball velocity wasn’t up there”.
Cubs: RHP Pedro Strop (knee surgery) was off crutches. “We just have to figure this out”, Maddon told reporters following Sunday’s 6-4 setback. “We have to restructure this somehow”.
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John Lackey’s right shoulder was still sore when he arrived at Wrigley Field. But Lackey said after the game that he was fine. “Granted, I didn’t have the best command today”. “I felt a lot better today”. Nothing insane. Trust me.
