Crumbling Cubs begin key series in Milwaukee

Baseball Betting Lines

06/04/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers continue their 10-game homestand this evening when they begin a three-game series with the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Miller Park.

The Brewers took three of four against Florida to improve to 4-3 on the residency after dropping two of three against Atlanta. Milwaukee concluded its set against the Marlins with a 3-0 shutout on Sunday.

Ben Sheets (6-3) hurled six of those scoreless innings, scattering seven hits and one walk while striking out seven. Francisco Cordero tossed a perfect ninth for his Major League-leading 21st save of the season.

J.J. Hardy homered for Milwaukee, which owns a 6 1/2-game lead over St. Louis for first place in the NL Central. Kevin Mench finished 3-for-4, and Ryan Braun doubled and scored a run in the win.

Dave Bush will start tonight for the Brewers as he attempts to end a four-game winless streak (0-2) that has dropped him to 3-5 on the year with a 5.64 earned run average.

Bush pitched well last time out as he gave up just one run on six hits over seven innings with six strikeouts against the Braves, but walked away with a no decision despite exiting with a 2-1 lead.

The 27-year-old's first start of this season was against the Cubs on April 6, and the right-hander was tagged for six first-inning runs en route to the loss. Lifetime, he is 1-3 with a 3.89 ERA in six starts versus Chicago.

The Cubs snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Atlanta on Sunday, a skid that saw the club lose its cool a couple of times.

It started on Friday when catcher Michael Barrett and pitcher Carlos Zambrano got into an altercation in the dugout during a series-opening loss to the Braves. Barrett sustained a cut to his lip when the fracas spilled over into the clubhouse and both players were disciplined by the club.

Then on Saturday, Cubs manager Lou Piniella was tossed from the game after an animated argument with third base umpire Mark Wegner. Piniella was eventually suspended for an indefinite period of time and was fined for his actions, which home plate umpire Bruce Froemming believes included making physical contact with Wegner.

Piniella began serving his suspension on Sunday, and the exact length of his suspension will be determined after a meeting with MLB executive vice president for administration John McHale Jr. today.

Despite all this, the Cubs managed to turn in a solid effort yesterday, pounding the Braves 10-1. Mark DeRosa belted a grand slam and finished with five runs batted in to power the attack.

Derrek Lee went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored for the Cubs, who were managed by bench coach Alan Trammell and trail the Brewers by 7 1/2 games. Alfonso Soriano fell a double short of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a home run, triple and two runs scored.

Chicago starter Sean Marshall (1-2) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings and gave up just one run on six hits while striking out eight and walking just one.

Jason Marquis will take the hill for the Cubs tonight and will try to rebound from his first loss since early April last time out. The right-hander went 5-0 over eight starts after a loss on April 10, but that streak came to halt on Tuesday against Florida.

The 28-year-old allowed five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits and three walks in a 9-4 setback that dropped Marquis to 5-2 with a 2.93 earned run average.

Marquis will face Milwaukee for the first time this season after going 1-1 against them last year with a 7.07 ERA in three stars with the Cardinals. He is 4-6 with a 4.43 ERA lifetime against the Brewers.

The Cubs and Brewers have split six meetings so far this year, with Chicago winning two of three at Miller Park in early April. The Cubs have won four of their last five as the visitor in the series.