2014-08-11 Brewers (Gallardo) at Cubs (Arrieta), 7:05 PM CDT [Brewers win, 3-1]

[TooLiveBrew]

[igt-2012][game-setup][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/brewers.png[/logo][game-info][h1]August 11 | 7:05 P.M.[/h1][h2]Brewers (65-53) | Brewers (50-66)[/h2][h3]FSWI | WTMJ 620[/h3][/game-info][logo]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20589901/BrewerFan/2014/logos/cubs.png[/logo][/game-setup][pitching-photos]http://i.imgur.com/bRepAOE.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/EIPVSi8.jpg[/pitching-photos][game-matchup][divclass=away][pitcher]Yovani Gallardo[/pitcher][h2]6-6, 3.54 ERA, 1.25 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Cubs | Game Log[/h3][h3]Gallardo's 16 2/3-inning scoreless streak vanished quickly Wednesday, as the righty struggled and gave up three first-inning runs against the Giants. He battled command issues and lasted only four innings.[/h3][/divclass][divclass=home][pitcher]Jake Arrieta[/pitcher][h2]6-3, 2.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP[/h2][h3]Versus Brewers | Game Log[/h3][h3]Arrieta's streak of quality starts ended vs. the Rockies. He gave up a career-high 13 hits and a season-high nine runs over five innings. Arrieta only threw 78 pitches, but Colorado didn't miss many. At home he's 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA in seven starts.[/h3][/divclass][starting-lineup][divclass=away]

1. CF Carlos Gómez
   
2. C Jonathan Lucroy
   
3. RF Ryan Braun
   
4. 3B Aramis Ramírez
   
5. 2B Scooter Gennett
   
6. LF Khris Davis
   
7. 1B Mark Reynolds
   
8. SS Jean Segura
   
9. RHP Yovani Gallardo

[/divclass][divclass=home]

1. LF Chris Coghlan
   
2. 2B Javier Báez
   
3. 1B Anthony Rizzo
   
4. SS Starlin Castro
   
5. 3B Luis Valbuena
   
6. CF Arismendy Alcántara
   
7. RF Justin Ruggiano
   
8. C Welington Castillo
   
9. RHP Jake Arrieta

[/divclass][/starting-lineup][/game-matchup][game-links][h3][chat]BrewerFan Chat[/chat] | MLB Gameday[/h3][/game-links][/igt-2012]

[TooLiveBrew]

First-place Brewers won't overlook Cubs

Gallardo heads to the hill for Milwaukee; Arrieta starts for Chicago

By Daniel Kramer / MLB.com | 8/10/2014 6:30 PM ET

 

The first-place Brewers gained a bit of separation from the teams trailing them in the National League Central on their last homestand after going 4-2 against the Giants and Dodgers. Milwaukee will hope to keep gaining ground in a four-game set at Wrigley Field.

 

Manager Ron Roenicke said he feels confident that his team won't have a drop-off in intensity despite taking on a last-place club.

 

"These guys realize: We have been really good, and we go into Chicago, and we get beat," Roenicke said. "There's no teams you can take lightly. For one, the pitching staffs are too good in baseball now. It's not just the team you're playing. If you face a good pitcher that night and he's on and you don't score, you're going to lose. We realize that if we're not on our game, it doesn't matter who we're playing, we're going to get beat."

 

Emerging ace Jake Arrieta will take the mound for Chicago, bringing with him a 3.00 ERA against the Brewers over three career starts. Arrieta is coming off his worst start of the season -- nine earned runs against the Rockies, which snapped a 10-game streak of consecutive quality starts.

 

"I know their starting staff has changed because they've lost some guys in trades," Roenicke said. "We know that, but I still look at the guys there. They're still capable of shutting you down. They'll stay focused. That's not to say we won't get in there and get beat, but they know what they need to do."

 

The Brewers will counter with Yovani Gallardo, who's also coming off a rough outing. Gallardo allowed four earned runs on nine hits over four innings against the Giants on Wednesday.

 

Gallardo is 8-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 17 career starts against the Cubs, including a 4-1 mark at Wrigley Field.

 

Brewers: Ramirez enters Cubs series on hot streak

Former Cub Aramis Ramirez had his 11-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday, but he's still hitting .458/.458/.604 over his last 12 games. Prior to the hot streak, he was batting .213/.247/.263 through the first 22 games of July.

 

"He's locked in, but this is the type of hitter he is," said Roenicke. "I don't think this is like a great streak for him. I think this is what he is. He's a guy that always drives in runs, or at least always has good at-bats with those guys out there. When he had that bad streak two weeks ago, that was really surprising that that lasted as long as it did."

 

Ramirez carries a .307/.373/.533 line at Wrigley Field, where he played from 2003-11. He's hit 127 of his 367 career homers there.

 

Cubs: North Siders downplay intensity

The Cubs are 4-5 against the first-place Brewers this year, and 17-30 against NL Central teams -- worst in the Majors against division foes.

 

"I think the whole rest of the season is going to be a pretty good test," manager Rick Renteria said. "We're playing some really good clubs, guys who are in the hunt."

 

Renteria downplayed any mounting intensity of the rivalry.

 

"We're going to play a lot of guys in our division. It's a great test," he said. "We just have to keep grinding and playing. We have to minimize the mistakes we make, mental and physical, and keep trying to get after it."

 

Worth noting

• The Cubs will play two teams currently in first place in August, starting with the Brewers. The Cubs will also play the Orioles.

 

• The Brewers have been in first place since April 5.

[dlk9s]

We're not playing the Cards.

[TooLiveBrew]

We're not playing the Cards.

Crap! Thanks.

[pacopete4]

Please take 3 of 4... Makes the Dodgers series easier looking for only 1 win.

[young guns]

That is one funny picture of YO lol.

[adamb100]

Ok, this is the earliest I've seen an IGT posted, it's not even game day yet.

[torts]

That is one funny picture of YO lol.

 

yoLOL

[Invader3K]

Ok, this is the earliest I've seen an IGT posted, it's not even game day yet.

 

Props to TLB for taking it upon himself to do these and get them posted in advance. I know the rest of the steering committee here at the site definitely appreciates it.

[bm1090]

Hopefully the rain stays away.

[JohnBriggs12]

I posted an offer for some tix to tonight's game in the trading post if anyone is heading down and needs tix. Price can't be beat.

[lcbj68c]

I am on business in Chicago on Wed and am thinking of going to the game. Staying in the west burbs...better to drive and find parking or mass transit?

[Fear The Chorizo]

with the construction nightmare going on with I-90, take mass transit

[topper09er]

Gomez still swung at ball 4 on a 3-0 pitch.

[trwi7]

Giancarlo Stanton has two homers off Shelby Miller tonight including one that would have one hopped out of the stadium had it been able to. Don't know how far it was measured but it had to be at least 475.

[adambr2]

Gomez is lucky that was a wild pitch. He got a terrible jump and would have been a dead duck at 3rd.

[adambr2]

Crap.

[Bombers]

Braun is hitting:

Last 14 days: .214 / .298 / .333 /.631

Last 28 days: .238 / .304 /.429 /.733

 

We need Braun to heat up

[wildcat83]

Giancarlo Stanton has two homers off Shelby Miller tonight including one that would have one hopped out of the stadium had it been able to. Don't know how far it was measured but it had to be at least 475.

 

The new crappy version of Justin Verlander showed up against the Pirates though. Only made it an inning and Pirates now up 8-1

[adambr2]

Braun is hitting:

Last 14 days: .214 / .298 / .333 /.631

Last 28 days: .238 / .304 /.429 /.733

 

We need Braun to heat up

 

He's OPS'ing .834 and is on pace for less than 20 HR's. That's not Ryan Braun. That's a decent year for Kevin Mench back in the day. It's getting frustrating, especially with the magnitude of the new deal we signed him to.

[bm1090]

Anybody else having issues with the FS Wisconsin feed?

[TooLiveBrew]

Anybody else having issues with the FS Wisconsin feed?

It's been working fine for me (TW Cable, Fox Valley)

[bm1090]

Anybody else having issues with the FS Wisconsin feed?

It's been working fine for me (TW Cable, Fox Valley)

 

Yeah I have AT&T and I think it's fixed. Thanks though.

 

In other news.....Stanton's 2nd was an ABSOLUTE BOMB.

[folly412]

Wrigley: the only place where fans get more excited than Brian Anderson over a routine fly ball that has no chance of going out.

[bm1090]

Looked safe to me.