Game Thread #102: Milwaukee Brewers (58-43) @ Chicago Cubs (49-54)

Brewers go for series win in season finale against Cubs

After a closely fought 1-0 win over the Cubs in a rain-delayed Tuesday night game, the Brewers are looking to close out their road trip with another series win at Wrigley Field Wednesday afternoon.

Milwaukee is 3-1 through the first four games of their short five-game trip out of the All-Star break, having swept the Twins in two games and splitting the first two games against the Cubs.

Having already clinched the season series against Chicago, the Brewers will now look to win the series Wrigley Field against lefty Justin Steele. Steele, who had a 4.45 ERA entering June, has lowered his season ERA to 3.07 with a series of solid starts, though his last time out against the Diamondbacks he was hit hard, allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks over 4 ²⁄₃ innings. In two starts against Milwaukee this season, he’s allowed three runs and struck out 13 over 13 innings.

With a scheduled TBD until just a few hours prior to today’s game, Pat Murphy has opted to go with Rob Zastryzny as an opener for Milwaukee, with Bryse Wilson and Jakob Junis both bulk-inning candidates after him.

With Christian Yelich hitting the injured list and the lefty Steele on the mound, the lineup looks completely different from yesterday. Joey Ortiz is in the leadoff spot, followed by William Contreras and Rhys Hoskins. Eric Haase bats seventh as the catcher with Andruw Monasterio at second base and Jackson Chourio, Blake Perkins, and Garrett Mitchell — the lone lefty in the lineup — making up the outfield.

First pitch is set for 1:20 p.m. on Bally Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.