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Brewers go for season-opening sweep of Cubs

Apr 3, 2008 - 4:21 PM Milwaukee (2-0) at Chicago Cubs (0-2) 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - In a division race likely to go down to the end of September, the Milwaukee Brewers will attempt to strike a major blow in their favor when they go for a three-game series sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Thursday at Wrigley Field.

The Brewers were left out of the postseason party in 2007 - despite leading the National League Central Division for much of the campaign - when the Cubs passed them in September.

Milwaukee has gotten some measure of revenge early in 2008, taking the Opening Day contest on Monday, 4-3, in extra innings and then pounding out an 8-2 triumph on Wednesday afternoon.

Rickie Weeks led off Wednesday's contest with a homer on the first pitch and Ryan Braun and Jason Kendall each had three hits for the Brewers.

Ryan Dempster will try to stop the bleeding for Chicago on Thursday. The converted closer saved 87 games for the Cubs over the past four seasons, but spent the first seven seasons of his career as a starter with the Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds.

The 30-year-old righthander made the All-Star team as a starter with the Marlins in 2000 and is 51-58 with a 4.99 ERA in 162 career starts.

The Brewers will counter with righthander Dave Bush. The 28-year-old righthander posted a 12-10 record with a 5.12 ERA in 2007, but finds himself as the team's No. 3 starter this season due to the injuries to lefthander Chris Capuano and young righthander Yovani Gallardo.

Bush has never had success against Chicago, owning a 1-5 mark with a 4.36 ERA in eight career starts.