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Cubs-Brewers Preview

Sep 12, 2010 - 5:34 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (61-80) at Milwaukee (65-75), 2:10 p.m. EDT

Through the first two games of this series, the Chicago Cubs have completely shut down the Milwaukee Brewers' offense.

The chances of this happening again in the finale seems unlikely.

The Brewers again try to get their offense on track and avoid being swept by the Cubs when they face struggling rookie Casey Coleman on Sunday at Miller Park.

On Friday, Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Marmol combined on a three-hitter in Chicago's 4-0 victory. The Cubs (62-80) again three-hit the Brewers on Saturday, as Ryan Dempster and three relievers teamed up in a 1-0 win.

"Your team throws a shutout, great job by all the guys in the bullpen," Dempster said. "It was a lot of fun."

It likely wasn't as fun for the Brewers, whose six hits in the series have come by six different players.

The Brewers (65-76), who were swept in a three-game series by the Cubs from April 23-25 in Milwaukee, have never been held without a run in three straight games in a series. They were, however, held without a run three times in a four-game set in San Diego from April 29-May 2.

The Cubs haven't held an opponent without a run in three straight games in a series since July 5-7, 1976, when they blanked San Diego in the first three of a four-game set.

Coleman (1-1, 5.81 ERA) hasn't done much to show that he can keep the scoreless streak intact.

He gave up four runs - all in the second - and eight hits with five walks over six innings, but didn't get a decision in Monday's 5-4 win over Houston. The right-hander has yielded four runs in each of his last two starts after allowing four in his first two starts combined.

Coleman made his major league debut in a relief role during the Cubs' 18-1 loss to the Brewers on Aug. 2, surrendering six runs and eight hits in 2 1-3 innings. Ryan Braun and Corey Hart were a combined 4 for 4 off him, while Yovani Gallardo (11-7, 3.80), Milwaukee's scheduled starter Sunday, gave up one run and two hits in six innings to earn the win.

That was the last time Gallardo yielded fewer than four runs until Monday, when he permitted two runs and four hits in seven innings without recording a decision an 8-6 loss to St. Louis. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA in his previous three outings.

"It's been very frustrating for me," Gallardo told the Brewers' official website. "The last three or four starts weren't what I wanted them to be. Tonight, I felt comfortable out there. I was in a good rhythm."

Gallardo has appeared comfortable in both starts against the Cubs this season, yielding one run and six hits while striking out 19 over 13 innings.

Rookie shortstop Starlin Castro is one of the few Cubs to have success against Gallardo, going 3 for 6 with three doubles.