Milwaukee Brewers vs Chi. Cubs Picks and Predictions May 30th 2024

Brewers Try to Take Series vs. Cubs, Extend Central Lead

The Milwaukee Brewers are set to turn to Colin Rea as they aim to clinch their four-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon. A win here would help them widen the gap in the National League Central.

Rea (4-2, 3.98 ERA) will be going head-to-head with fellow right-hander Jameson Taillon (3-2, 2.58 ERA).

Brewers’ Recent Success and Key Performances

Milwaukee picked up their second win of the series with a 10-6 victory on Wednesday, dismantling the previously unbeaten Shota Imanaga. Christian Yelich, Blake Perkins, and Willy Adames each hammered a two-run homer for the Brewers. Imanaga, who had given up just five earned runs in his first nine starts, got tagged for seven runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, raising his ERA from a league-best 0.84 to 1.86.

Cubs’ Struggles and Standings

The Cubs have slipped into a tie for second place in the NL Central with St. Louis, trailing the Brewers by 4.5 games. Chicago has lost six of their last seven games and 11 of 15, standing at 1-4 on their current six-game road trip.

Colin Rea’s Consistency

Rea has been a reliable presence in the Brewers’ injury-plagued rotation. In his last outing, he followed opener Jared Koenig, and together they carried a combined no-hitter into the seventh inning against Boston on Saturday. Rea picked up the win, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 victory.

“I thought Jared did a great job starting the game and setting the tone early, and I just tried to come in and kind of follow that,” Rea said after the win in Boston. Rea is 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs.

Jameson Taillon’s Recent Form

Taillon is 0-2 with a 5.02 ERA over his last three starts, after going 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his first four. In his most recent start, Taillon allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, throwing a season-high 105 pitches, but didn’t get the decision in a 7-6 loss to the Cardinals. “They made me work pretty hard, fouled off a lot of good pitches, had a good approach,” Taillon said. “I kept the team in it — proud of that. But it was definitely a grind.”

Taillon is 4-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, against Milwaukee. He beat the Brewers earlier this month, pitching six scoreless innings as the Cubs held on for a 6-5 win at home on May 4.

Hot Streaks and Key Players

Ian Happ and Cody Bellinger have been on fire for Chicago. Happ, who hit a solo homer on Wednesday, is batting .333 (9-for-27) with four doubles, three homers, and seven RBIs over his last eight games. Bellinger recorded his third consecutive multi-hit game on Wednesday.

Trevor Megill’s Injury Update

Milwaukee closer Trevor Megill, who was hit by a line drive on his pitching arm Tuesday, avoided the injured list and is day-to-day. “He squared it up and it smoked me, but it hit me on the forearm on a meaty spot so I’ll be all right,” Megill said. “The X-ray came back negative, so that’s always good. I just need to throw and get through the process and I should be back sooner rather than later.”

Game Recap: Brewers Secure Series Win

Gary Sanchez hit the go-ahead homer and drove in three runs as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the visiting Chicago Cubs 6-4 on Thursday afternoon, taking three of four in the series. Sanchez stepped up after Owen Miller’s double-play ball seemed to kill a promising rally in the bottom of the eighth. Sanchez then jumped on a 3-2 sweeper from Cubs reliever Tyson Miller and smashed it 422 feet into the shaded seats beyond the center field wall, driving in Christian Yelich ahead of him for a 6-4 lead. It was Sanchez’s seventh homer of the year.

Brewers’ Resilience and Key Moments

The Brewers have won seven of their past 12 games, while the Cubs have lost 10 of their past 13. In the top of the seventh, Seiya Suzuki crushed a two-run homer off Brewers lefty Bryan Hudson to tie the game at 3. The Brewers got the lead right back in the bottom of the seventh when Brice Turang’s chopper to third scored Blake Perkins. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Christopher Morel ripped a 3-1 fastball from Hudson 396 feet to right-center, tying it at 4.

The Cubs struck first with Cody Bellinger’s eighth homer in the first inning. The Brewers took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second with contributions from Sanchez, Joey Ortiz, and Perkins. Rea worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Taillon gave up three runs on six hits in six innings for the Cubs.

Looking Ahead

As the Brewers look to extend their lead in the NL Central, they will rely on their recent momentum and solid performances from key players. The Cubs, struggling to find consistency, will seek to turn things around and close the gap in the standings.

Looking Forward

With both teams eager to solidify their standings, the upcoming games will be crucial. The Brewers aim to continue their winning momentum, while the Cubs seek to recover from their recent slump.