Despite a seven-game losing streak earlier this month and losing three of four to the Dodgers last weekend at Wrigley Field, the Cubs still have a chance to have a winning September if they can complete a sweep of the Brewers. They are 11-12 this month with the two games remaining. If they can do that, they'll have had three winning calendar months (June, August and September) for the first time since 2009.
In addition, they still have a shot at tying the Reds for fourth place if they can win out and the Pirates can sweep the Reds, something that's in the Pirates' interest as well.
So there are still things to play for this weekend before Cubs baseball goes into winter hibernation.
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Coghlan LF, Baez SS, Rizzo 1B, Soler RF, Valbuena 3B, Castillo C, Alcantara 2B, Kalish CF, Wada P
Brewers lineup:
C. Gomez CF, Braun RF, Lucroy C, Ramirez 3B, Weeks 2B, Segura SS, Parra LF, Maldonado 1B, Peralta P
Today's Starting Pitchers |
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Tsuyoshi Wada wasn't supposed to get another start after his last outing nine days ago, but with the complete and utter meltdown of Edwin Jackson, here he is. Wada started against the Brewers August 13 at Wrigley Field and threw 6⅔ good innings. The only runs he allowed were on solo homers by Rickie Weeks and Martin Maldonado -- a repeat of that performance could lead to another Cubs win.
Wily Peralta is having a fine year, his second as a full-time rotation starter for the Brewers. He has faced the Cubs three times this year, and the Cubs won all three games. The last one was August 12 at Wrigley Field. Anthony Rizzo homered off Peralta that day. More of this, please.
Today's game is on WGN.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. Be careful over there, though.
For 2014, we are going to have the same game-thread routine as 2013. Here's how it works.
You'll find the game preview -- like this one -- posting as the first link in the StoryStream™, which will then contain all the overflow threads and the recap. The recap will also be on the front page as a separate post; once I post a game recap, the stream for each game will be retitled "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
In general, game previews will post two hours before game time. Exception: for day games after night games, that will usually be 90 minutes.
You will also be able to find the First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in this StoryStream™. As I've done for each regular-season game for several years now, we'll have the First Pitch thread at five minutes before game time (moved up from actual game time per your requests), then an overflow one hour, two hours and 2:45 after game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.