Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Saturday 5/11, 1:20 CT

This game will be better, we hope. Notes:

• Kris Bryant has reached base in 20 straight games, one shy of his career-long 21-game on-base streak, August 14-September 4, 2016. It’s the longest streak by a Cub since Ben Zobrist’s 25-game stretch, April 28-May 30, 2017.
• Willson Contreras went 2-for-4 Friday and has a nine-game hitting streak (.382/13-for-34), the longest single-season streak of his career (had a 10-game streak, September 28, 2016-April 13, 2017).
• Javier Baez went 1-for-4 Friday and also has a nine-game hitting streak (.371/13-for-35), tied for the second-longest streak of his career.
• Albert Almora Jr. went 1-for-4 with a double in Friday’s game and has six extra-base hits in his last 13 games. He had no extra-base hits in his first 21 games.
• The Cubs were shut out for the third time this year on Friday. The pitching staff still leads the major leagues with six shutouts.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Cole Hamels, LHP vs. Zach Davies, RHP

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Hamels pitched well in the only game the Cubs won in Miller Park back in April, throwing six innings and allowing just two runs, with no walks and five strikeouts.

Hamels threw seven shutout innings vs. the Marlins in Miami April 17, but since then has just been “okay” in three starts: 4.32 ERA, 11 walks in 16⅔ innings. He’ll have to be better than that this afternoon. Ryan Braun is a Brewer who’s hit him very well over the years: .302 (13-for-43) with three home runs. Keeping the ball in the yard is the key to beating the Brewers in this one.

Zach Davies threw 5⅔ innings against the Cubs April 7 at Miller Park, and held the Cubs to two unearned runs. Davies has been very good all year and enters this game second in the N.L. in ERA (1.55) and first in ERA+ (280). Davies has allowed only three home runs in 40⅓ innings this year, but one Cub has torched him over the years: Kris Bryant, who is hitting .368 (14-for-38) against Davies with two doubles, a triple and two home runs. KB’s hot right now; perhaps the Cubs can ride his bat to victory today.

Today’s game is on ABC7 Chicago.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

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The 2019 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used in previous years. Here’s how it works.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads” so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap 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 the game’s StoryStream as noted above.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.