Preview: Cubs at Brewers

[September 26, 2014]  A season that once held so much promise for the Milwaukee Brewers has turned into a struggle to finish better than .500. The Brewers look to guarantee themselves of a winning record for a second straight year Friday when they begin a three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs. Milwaukee (81-78), which was a season-high 19 games above .500 on June 28 and held at least a share of first place in the NL Central from April 4-Aug. 31, was eliminated from postseason consideration Thursday.

The Brewers™ most recent loss in Cincinnati was their 23rd in the last 33 games and completed a collapse that saw them become only the fourth team since 1995 to miss the playoffs after spending at least 150 days atop its division. The Cubs (71-88) have been stuck in last place in the Central since early May, but own a 9-7 edge on Milwaukee and can win their first season series against the Brewers since 2010 with a victory. Chicago has enjoyed little success at Miller Park, however, dropping 26 of its last 33 at the venue.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Eric Jokisch (0-0, 1.74 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (2-8, 4.57)

After making three appearances out of the bullpen to begin his big-league career, Jokisch will draw his first start after replacing Edwin Jackson in the rotation. "It was good to get the first three outings in, get my feet wet, and not jump straight into a start," the 25-year-old Illinois native told reporters after yielding three runs (one earned) in 3 1/3 innings in relief of Jackson during last Friday™s 14-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jokisch held Pittsburgh scoreless over 2 2/3 scoreless frames Sept. 14 in his only career road outing.

Nelson returns to the rotation, hoping to earn his first victory since Aug. 5 after giving up a run in each of his last two trips out of the bullpen. The University of Alabama alum, who replaced Matt Garza after the Brewers were eliminated Thursday, went 0-5 with a 4.45 ERA over his previous six turns before his demotion and is 1-7 in 11 appearances (nine starts) since the All-Star break. One of his losses over that stretch came on the road against Chicago on Sept. 1, when he gave up three runs on nine hits in six frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers 2B Rickie Weeks, who went 2-for-3 and homered Thursday, is batting .571 during a seven-game home hitting streak against Chicago.

2. With a home run in this series, Cubs 2B Javier Baez will become the third Chicago rookie with at least 10 this season “ a feat the team has not accomplished since 1966.

3. Milwaukee closer Francisco Rodriguez has 347 career saves and needs one more to move into sole possession of 10th place on the all-time list, passing Randy Myers.

PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Brewers 4

[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.