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Brewers try to regain top spot in NL Central vs. Cubs

Sep 2, 2014 - 2:43 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - It's been a while since the Milwaukee Brewers experienced life as a second-place team, and they'd prefer to keep the stint as short as possible.

Starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo will have some role in that quest on Tuesday night, when the Brewers return to Wrigley Field for game two of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Gallardo has won five straight decisions on the Cubs' home field, and he'll take the mound as Milwaukee aims to avoid a seven-game losing skid.

The Brewers had held or shared first place in the National League's Central Division every day since April 4, but lost their hold on the top spot with a 4-2 defeat in Monday's opener, coupled with the St. Louis Cardinals' 5-4 win against Pittsburgh.

Chicago's rookie sensation, Jorge Soler, doubled in his first home game and became the third player in 100 years to have an extra-base hit in his initial five games. No player has done it in six straight since 1914.

"I have been a little bit surprised," he said. "I expected it to go well, but not as well as it's gone so far."

In Gallardo's last seven starts at Wrigley, he's 5-0 with a 1.77 earned run average, and in his last eight road starts overall, he's 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA. Last time out at Wrigley, Gallardo gave up a run in seven innings of a 3-1 win on Aug. 11.

He threw six scoreless innings on Wednesday in San Diego, but the Padres rallied to win, 3-2, in 10 innings.

Milwaukee has batted just .193 and averaged barely more than two runs per game in its six-game skid. It lost seven straight between July 6 and 12.

"We're going through a bad week and we need to change it. We have it in us," manager Ron Roenicke said.

The Cubs send righty Jake Arrieta to the mound after he was dinged for six runs in four innings on Thursday in a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He'd gone 1-1 with a 1.27 earned run average in three previous starts, including a 7 1/3-inning stint against the Brewers and Gallardo on Aug. 11 in which he gave up two runs.

In four career meetings with Milwaukee, he's 1-2 with a 2.84 ERA.

The Brewers have split 14 meetings with the Cubs this season.