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Sabathia hopes to propel Brewers against Cubs in Central showdown

Jul 28, 2008 - 2:40 PM Chi Cubs (61-44) at Milwaukee (60-45) 8:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- CC Sabathia has everyone convinced a pennant race is brewing in Milwaukee.

The ace will look to toss his fourth complete game in a row as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

Sabathia (10-8, 3.30 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in four starts since being traded by the Cleveland Indians earlier in the month. He dazzled the St. Louis Cardinals in his last outing by turning in a three-hit shutout while striking out seven.

Prior to that, the 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner gave up a run and four hits in nine innings, striking out 10 in a 9-1 win at San Francisco on July 18.

The Brewers need their new ace to continue his dominance of the National League as they take on a division rival in one of the most important series of the second half.

The Cubs (61-44) still remain one game ahead of the Brewers (60-45) after holding a five-game lead at the All-Star break.

Ted Lilly (10-6, 4.49) will oppose Sabathia with hopes of earning his sixth winning decision in his last seven. The lefthander is coming off a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in which he gave up three runs and six hits in six solid innings.

Chicago, which has lost 13 of its last 19 games on the road, earned a split of a four-game series with the Florida Marlins this weekend. On Sunday, Alfonso Soriano - fresh off the disabled list this past week - and Derrek Lee homered to erase a pedestrian start by Jason Marquis.

Ryan Braun propelled the Brewers to their recent hot streak, winning nine of 11. The All-Star outfielder went 3-for-5 with a homer on Sunday and is hitting .632 over his last five games with four home runs and nine RBI.