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Sabathia seeks to pitch Brewers into postseason

Sep 28, 2008 - 7:36 AM Chi Cubs (97-63) at Milwaukee (89-72) 2:05 pm. EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers' playoff hopes rest on the tired left arm of CC Sabathia.

The rubber-armed Sabathia takes the hill on three days' rest for a third straight start against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday as the Brewers look to clinch at least a tie for the National League wild card.

Milwaukee, which has not reached the postseason since 1982, fell into a tie for the wild-card lead on Saturday thanks to a loss and a win by the New York Mets (89-72).

The Mets are hosting the Florida Marlins on Sunday. If both teams win, New York will host Milwaukee in a one-game playoff on Monday.

The Brewers are in this predicament because Ben Sheets was ineffective in his return from a sore elbow on Saturday. The impending free agent was rocked for four runs - three earned - and five hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 7-3 loss.

Still, interim manager Dale Sveum insists the Brewers are relaxed.

"They're fine," Sveum said. "It's obviously been a roller-coaster ride, but the fact of the matter is if somebody said in spring training 'you're tied after 161 (games)', there were 30 teams that would take that."

Part of the reason for their calm disposition could be that Sabathia (10-2, 1.78 ERA) has shown he can be effective on short rest. The burly lefthander is 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA in the two starts with three days' rest or less. He allowed a run and four hits in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The Brewers catch a break in that they will not face Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano, who was expected to throw a few innings as a postseason tuneup. Instead, Chicago will go with Angel Guzman, who is making his first start of the season.

Guzman has a 7.04 ERA in five relief appearances since being called up from Class AAA Iowa on September 1.