Game One Hundred Fifty: Cubs (87-62) vs. Brewers (63-86)
- Game Time – 7:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 187, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jason Hammel (8-8, 3.73/1.15/3.72) vs. Wily Peralta (5-9, 4.41/1.49/4.82)
The homestand continues tonight with the first of three against the Brewers. Jason Hammel takes the hill in the opener of what could be a challenging series. Joe Maddon must make sure his team does not have a letdown after back-to-back series against the Pirates and Cardinals. The Brewers have more than enough offense, especially with rookie Domingo Santana and if Ryan Braun plays, to win this series if the Cubs overlook them.
The Cubs are 9-4 in the first 13 games of the season against the Brewers and will play Milwaukee six times over the final 13 games of the regular season.
Jason Hammel has had a lot of success against the Brewers and will look to get his season pointed back in the right direction against Wily Peralta tonight. Jake Arrieta gets the start Tuesday on what will be a bullpen day for the Brewers. Jimmy Nelson is not able to make his scheduled start after getting hit in the head with a comebacker off the bat of Tommy Pham last week. The series wraps up Wednesday with Kyle Hendricks taking on rookie right hander Zach Davies.
Joe Maddon should run out a balanced lineup tonight against Wily Peralta. Left-handers have hit .305/.348/.491 against Peralta this season while right-handers have batted .290/.357/.379.
Tonight all starts with Jason Hammel …
Following Jason Hammel’s start in St. Louis on Sept. 8 there was a feeling he was going to get back on track and put his struggles since the hamstring injury behind him. Hammel was sharp against the Cardinals and posted a quality start. Hammel allowed three runs on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Hammel had issues his last time out against the Pirates and was pulled before he could complete four innings.
The Pirates jumped on Hammel and scored three runs in the first inning. Hammel had very little command of his fastball and did not look comfortable on the mound again. Hammel is very important to the Cubs moving forward this season. Hammel could really use at least a quality start tonight.
Hammel is 1-0 in his last three starts with a 6.75 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. He has not been the same since leaving the game on July 8 with the hamstring injury. In his last 11 starts, Hammel is 3-2 with a 5.43 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. Hammel has given up 61 hits with 21 walks and 54 strikeouts in 53 innings.
Jason Hammel faces the Brewers for the fifth time this season. Hammel is 2-0 in the first four with a 2.59 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Hammel’s best two games since the hamstring injury have come against the Brewers (4-1 win at Miller Park, July 31 and 3-2 win at Wrigley on Aug. 12).
Brewers Numbers against Jason Hammel in 2015
- Ryan Braun: 3-for-10 with two home runs and two walks
- Adam Lind: 2-for-10 with one double and one walk
- Khris Davis: 3-for-8 with one home run and one walk
- Jean Segura: 1-for-9
- Scooter Gennett: 2-for-8 with one double
- Elian Herrera: 1-for-7
- Jonathan Lucroy: 1-for-6
- Shane Peterson: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Martin Maldonado: 0-for-4 with one walk
- Hernan Perez: 0-for-2
Wily Peralta had a rough time against the Cardinals. Peralta lasted four innings and gave up five runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Peralta served up three longballs to St. Louis. Peralta is 0-1 in his last three starts with a 5.25 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. And over his last 10 starts, Peralta is 4-4 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.
Peralta is 1-4 in eight road starts this year with a 3.93 ERA and 1.69 WHIP. Peralta makes just his second start of the season against the Cubs tonight.
One of Peralta’s best games of the year came against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 1. Peralta allowed one run (a solo homer by Addison Russell) on eight hits in six innings. Peralta lost 1-0 to Jon Lester. For his career, Peralta is 3-6 in 10 starts against the Cubs with a 3.52 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. At Wrigley Field, Peralta is 0-3 in four starts with a 3.38 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Wily Peralta
- Anthony Rizzo: 12-for-26 with two doubles, five home runs and three walks
- Starlin Castro: 12-for-27 with three doubles, two home runs and one walk
- Chris Coghlan: 2-for-10 with one walk
- Dexter Fowler: 2-for-8 with one walk
- Miguel Montero: 3-for-8 with one home run and one walk
- Javier Baez: 0-for-6
- Jorge Soler: 2-for-6
- Jason Hammel: 1-for-5
- Kris Bryant: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Chris Denorfia: 1-for-3 with one home run
- David Ross: 1-for-2 with one double and one walk
- Jonathan Herrera: 1-for-2
- Addison Russell: 1-for-2 with one home run
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …