Game One Hundred Twenty: Cubs (76-43) vs. Brewers (52-67)
- Game Time – 1:20pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 183, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jake Arrieta, RHP (14-5, 2.55/1.03/3.05) vs. Zach Davies, RHP (9-5, 3.80/1.21/3.88)
Weather permitting … The Cubs wrap up the series with the Brewers and the 10-game homestand this afternoon behind Jake Arrieta.
The Cubs are 7-2 in the first 10 games on the homestand and have a chance today of completing a four-game sweep of the Brewers. The Cubs have won the first three games in two days behind excellent starting pitching. The Cubs have outscored the Brewers 14-2 the last three games.
Willson Contreras is starting behind the plate today and will catch Jake Arrieta for the first time.
Joe Maddon is going against the numbers today. Matt Szczur (CF) and Jorge Soler (LF) are in the starting lineup with Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward getting a day off. Arrieta must keep the Brewers off the board and give his teammates a chance to figure out a pitcher in Zach Davies that’s had the Cubs’ number.
Today all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta pitched a lot better against the Cardinals than his final line indicates. Arrieta repeated his mechanics, kept the ball down and threw one quality strike after another. Arrieta issued only two free passes to a Cardinals’ team that has really had his number. Arrieta had to pitch around a couple of errors which took him at least 15 pitches and in the end shortened his outing. Arrieta gave up one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Remove the numbers and anyone that has watched Arrieta’s last three starts knows he has put his struggles behind him.
Arrieta is 2-0 in his last two starts with a 0.66 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. Since the break, Arrieta is 2-1 in five starts with a 2.14 ERA and 0.83 WHIP. And at Wrigley, Arrieta is 5-3 in 11 starts with a 1.70 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
Arrieta takes on the Brewers for the second time on the season.
Jake Arrieta struggled against the Brewers at Miller Park in late April. In the start following his no-hitter against the Reds, Arrieta gave up one run on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts in five innings. The Cubs won the game 7-2 but Arrieta was not sharp.
For his career, Arrieta is 5-3 in 10 starts against the Brewers with a 2.31 ERA and 0.91 WHIP.
Brewers Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Scooter Gennett: 6-for-23 with two doubles
- Ryan Braun: 4-for-12 with one home run and three walks
- Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-8
- Martin Maldonado: 2-for-6 with one walk
- Hernan Perez: 2-for-6 with one walk
- Chris Carter: 0-for-3
- Jonathan Villar: 2-for-2 with one walk
The Cubs get another shot at Zach Davies this afternoon. The Brewers’ young right hander has owned the Cubs the two times he faced them.
Davies is coming off a loss to the Reds in which he allowed five runs on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts in five innings. Davies hasn’t had the same amount of success against the Diamondback, Padres, Braves and Reds that he did with the Cubs back on July 23.
Davies is 1-1 with a 5.09 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in his last three starts. Davies has allowed 10 runs on 22 hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Outside of Miller Park this season, Davies is 3-1 in seven starts with a 3.69 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. Davies faces the Cubs for the second time this season and third in his career today.
Zach Davies is 2-0 in two starts versus the Cubs with a 0.73 ERA and 0.65 WHIP. The Cubs have managed one run on just five hits with three walks against Davies in 12 1/3 innings. Davies has eight punch outs in two games, one at Wrigley.
Cubs Career Numbers against Zach Davies
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-6
- Dexter Fowler: 0-for-6
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-5 with one double
- Javier Baez: 1-for-4
- Addison Russell: 0-for-3 with one walk
- Willson Contreras: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Ben Zobrist: 1-for-3
- Jason Heyward: 0-for-2
- Miguel Montero: 0-for-1 with one walk
- Jorge Soler: 1-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …