The Milwaukee Brewers (54-66) will host the Chicago Cubs (47-73) in another chapter of the I-94 Rivalry. Unfortunately, the rivalry has meant little this season as both teams are in the lower half of the division. The Brewers are coming off another series loss, this time to the Philadelphia Phillies. Meanwhile, the Cubs lost three out of four to the Cincinnati Reds and are losers of seven of their last 10 games.
Monday August 20, 2012
Mark Rogers (0-1, 4.94 ERA) vs. Justin Germano (2-2, 3.19 ERA)
Mark Rogers is still looking for his first MLB win, something he should have already got earlier this season. In three of Rogers’ last four starts he left the game with the lead and a chance for a victory until the bullpen blew it. He has allowed 13 earned runs in four starts since being called up with one of those outings being a one earned run gem in which he pitched a career-high seven innings. Unfortunately, John Axford gave up runs quickly to lose the game. Rogers will have a good opportunity against a weak Cubs team to earn his first win.
Justin Germano has pitched well since arriving in the majors on July 7. In his first outing, he went 5 2/3 innings without surrendering a run against the New York Yankees. Since then he has given up 11 earned runs in five starts with the most he allowed in a single game being four, which came against the Reds. Germano is certainly a breath of fresh air for the struggling Cubs as he clearly has a future with the team.
Tuesday August 21, 2012
Marco Estrada (0-5, 4.52 ERA) vs. TBD
Marco Estrada is still searching for his first win of the season and should have another good opportunity to get it if he does not mentally break down and start surrendering hits. He should be prepared for the game because nobody wants to have 22 total appearances, including 16 starts without a win. Estrada has pitched well up until recently in which he allowed a total of eight earned runs on 15 hits in his last two outings combined without making it past the fifth inning.
Chicago has yet to determine whom they will send to the mound against Estrada on Tuesday night.
Wednesday August 22, 2012
Yovani Gallardo (12-8, 3.67 ERA) vs. Travis Wood (4-9, 4.83 ERA)
Yovani Gallardo has been fantastic lately and has really picked up the slack since Zack Greinke was traded, as he has allowed only six earned runs since July 27. Gallardo has posted a 4-0 record and gone at least seven innings in each of his starts over that span while striking out a total of 26 batters. It is refreshing to see him pitch well again after struggling at various times this season.
Travis Wood has been inconsistent in his outings over the last two months. For instance, in his start against the Reds on August 11 he gave up only one earned run on five hits in seven innings while striking out eight batters. However, his very next outing on August 17 he surrendered six earned runs on nine hits in five innings against the same Cincinnati ball club.
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