Cubs 2 - 3 Brewers
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  for this game

Cubs turn to Dempster against Brewers

Jul 26, 2011 - 2:38 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Brewers try to solve Ryan Dempster this evening when the National League Central hopefuls open a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park.

Dempster has had his way with the Brewers over the course of his career, posting a 15-3 lifetime mark against them with 10 saves and a 2.50 earned run average.

The right-hander, though, will be looking to bounce back following one of his worst outings of the season on Wednesday against Philadelphia, which battered him for six runs and seven hits in only three innings of work. The loss dropped him to 7-7 on the year, while raising his ERA to 5.00

Milwaukee enters tonight's tilt a half-game back of the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the National League Central. The Brewers didn't help themselves any over the weekend, dropping the final two games of their three-game set with the San Francisco Giants, culminating with a 2-1 loss on Sunday.

Chicago, meanwhile, is 12 games off the pace of the division leaders, but has won a season-high three in a row after sweeping a set from the woeful Houston Astros over the weekend.

The Cubs completed the sweep on Sunday, as Jeff Baker singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, helping Chicago to a 5-4 win.

Marlon Byrd scored the winning run after leading off with a high fly ball to right, which Hunter Pence lost in the sun, allowing Byrd to reach with a triple.

"I saw the ball off the bat and it never came out of the sun," said Pence. "I was just looking, looking, looking and then I heard it hit the ground. I really don't know what I could've done better on that play."

John Grabow (2-0) worked a scoreless top of the 10th to get the win.

The Cubs will be going up against lefty Chris Narveson tonight, as he tries to go over .500 on the season. Narveson, who is 6-6 with a 4.45 ERA, did not get a decision on Wednesday in Arizona, despite tossing seven scoreless innings. The Brewers eventually won the game 5-2.

Narveson beat the Cubs the last time he faced them and is a perfect 5-0 against them with a 3.38 ERA in 11 games, four of which have been starts.

The Cubs have won four of their seven matchups with the Brewers this season.






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