The Milwaukee Brewers, whose late rally wasn’t enough on Tuesday, will host the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday in the third game of a four-game, National League Central series
Chicago gave up a late, four-run lead before edging the Brewers 7-6 in 11 innings on Tuesday. Cubs left fielder Ian Happ was the hero, throwing out runners at the plate in both the 10th and 11th innings
“Definitely up and down emotionally,” Happ said to Marquee Network. “Just coming back in that situation, that’s an easy one to fold on after the last week-plus. So to finish that one off and get a win is huge.”
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsel said, “It was a great game today. We’re on the losing side of it, unfortunately, but … both teams left everything out there, for sure. Battled back, down four again.”
The Brewers opened the series with a similar late-game rally, scoring three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth for a walk-off, 8-6 win on Monday
Justin Steele (9-2, 2.43 ERA) will seek his fourth win in as many starts when he takes the mound on Wednesday, aiming to propel the Cubs to consecutive wins for the first time since they took four in a row from June 19-24
Steele gave up just three hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his latest appearance, a 10-1 Chicago rout of the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. He surrendered just three combined runs in three starts during the month of June while going 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA.
The left-hander is 1-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 11 career appearances, nine starts, against Milwaukee. He got to a no-decision in his past five times facing the Brewers, the most recent coming on April 1
Steele went six shutout innings in that contest, but the Cubs lost 3-1 after giving up three runs in the eighth. William Contreras, who hit the decisive, two-run single in that contest, went 2-for-4 on Tuesday, his third consecutive multiple-hit performance. Contreras is 1-for-4 in his career against Steele
Adrian Houser (3-2, 3.88 ERA) will look to get the Brewers back on track on Wednesday. He is 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 11 lifetime appearances, six starts, against the Cubs
Houser’s last start opposite the Cubs came on April 29, 2022, when he picked up a win after firing six scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He struck out six and walked three
He takes the mound on Wednesday coming off his third win of the season. Houser pitched six innings and gave up two runs in the Brewers‘ 3-2 road win over the New York Mets on Thursday. He yielded seven hits, including two solo homers, and a walk while striking out five
Houser is seeking his first win in Milwaukee since May 24. In his past two home outings, Houser gave up five runs over four-plus in a defeat against the Oakland A’s on June 9, then got a no-decision after throwing four relief innings and giving up two runs (one earned) against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 19.
–Field Level Media
