Spring Training Game Thirty-One: Cubs (14-15-1) vs. Brewers (11-14-1)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: Cubs.com
- Location – Sloan Park, Mesa
Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.60, 1.15) vs. Kyle Lohse (2-0, 1.80, 0.67)
The Cubs return home this afternoon to close out the Cactus League part of their spring slate against the Brewers.
Today is the Cactus League finale, the Cubs have two more practice games on Friday and Saturday at Chase Field with the Diamondbacks before it all counts starting Sunday Night at Wrigley Field.
After a rough start to the spring, the Cubs have a chance to leave the valley with a .500 record while setting all of the Spring Training attendance records.
The Cubs topped the Brewers in Maryvale on March 14 while half the spring roster spent the weekend in Las Vegas. The Cubs and Brewers won’t see one another in April, the first time it counts between the two rivals is May 1 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs and Brewers play six times in the first 10 days of the second month of the season.
Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies have the moving pictures of today’s spring contest on Comcast SportsNet while Mick Gillispie calls the action on Cubs.com.
This afternoon all starts with Jason Hammel …
Jason Hammel looks to finish a good run in the Cactus League on a positive note today against the Brewers. Hammel struggled with his fastball command his first two times out and the numbers backed up his performance, plus Hammel was not happy. After a fastball only bullpen session, he has been very good the last three times on the mound.
Hammel did not allow a run in back-to-back starts to the Royals and Padres. Hammel surrendered only five hits combined over those two starts with 12 strikeouts and no walks. The White Sox touched him up for two runs on one mistake his last time out. Tyler Flowers launched a home run to straight away center.
Over his last three spring starts and after he got on the same page with Miguel Montero, Hammel has allowed two runs on 11 hits with 14 strikeouts and no walks (15 innings).
In five Cactus League starts, Jason Hammel has allowed eight runs on 20 hits with three walks and 17 strikeouts.
With Yovani Gallardo in Texas, Kyle Lohse gets the ball on Opening Day for the Brewers. Lohse has put together a good spring. Lohse allowed single runs in three of his four Cactus League outings with only one walk and 15 strikeouts in 15 innings (three runs on nine hits in four starts).
The Brewers will need for Kyle Lohse to put together a career year anchoring Ron Roenicke’s staff in order to avoid another disappointing season in Milwaukee.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …