Preview: Brewers at Cubs (Game 1)

[August 16, 2016]  The Chicago Cubs own the best record in baseball, but still have issues to rectify as they kick off a four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. Despite the acquisition of closer Aroldis Chapman, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has concerns over the back end of his bullpen.

The Cubs were riding an 11-game winning streak until a pair of late collapses by the bullpen over the weekend against St. Louis, which piled up 11 eighth-inning runs to send Chicago to consecutive losses for the first time since July 25-26. "We just have to figure this out," Maddon told reporters following Sunday's 6-4 setback. "We just have to restructure this somehow." The starting rotation is holding up its end with an 8-0 record this month for Chicago, which sends Trevor Cahill and red-hot Jason Hammel to the mound in Tuesday's twin bill. The Brewers averted a sweep with a 7-5 victory over Cincinnati to improve to 5-8 in August despite a soft schedule featuring four straight series against NL also-rans.

TV: 1:20 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Matt Garza (4-4, 4.83 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Trevor Cahill (1-3, 3.07)

Garza, who pitched for the Cubs for parts of three seasons (2011-13), appears to be finding his form following a rocky four-start losing streak in which he was tagged for 23 runs. He has allowed five earned runs and 14 hits during a three-start winning streak after limiting Atlanta to two runs over six innings last time out. Miguel Montero is 8-for 21 with a home run against Garza, who is 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA versus Chicago.

Cahill will return from a rehab stint at Triple-A Iowa and make his first start since September 2014 while with Arizona. The 28-year-old Cahill made 33 appearances out of the bullpen this season for the Cubs before landing on the 15-day disabled list due to patellar tendinitis in his knee. Cahill likely will be on a pitch count after not pitching beyond four innings in six appearances at Iowa, where he was 0-3 with a 4.58 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago's starting rotation owns a 2.87 ERA - the lowest for the franchise since 1933 (2.81).

2. Former NL MVP Braun is on a tear with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 11 games in August.

3. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo is 16-for-45 this month.

PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Brewers 5

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