It seems only appropriate that a three-game series between the teams with the two best records in the National League begins on Monday with a stellar pitching matchup.
The Chicago Cubs will send All-Star left-hander Matthew Boyd (11-3, 2.20 ERA) to face the host Milwaukee Brewers, who will send All-Star right-handed rookie Jacob Misiorowski (4-1, 2.45) to the mound.
The teams are tied atop of the NL Central with identical 62-43 records. Chicago took two of three from the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, while Milwaukee avoided a three-game sweep with a 3-2 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Sunday.
The Cubs have won three of the teams’ first five meetings this season, including two of three in Milwaukee in early May. Chicago left fielder Ian Happ is looking forward to this week’s return trip.
“It’ll be a great atmosphere,” Happ said. “We’re going up there just trying to play our game and good baseball. And I think there’ll be a lot of noise around it. But we’re just gonna play another series in July.”
Boyd will take the mound after tossing seven scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals last Tuesday.
The 34-year-old Boyd enters Monday’s contest with a career-best run of 23 consecutive scoreless innings, which is the longest active streak in the majors.
“Somehow he’s just gotten better in this stretch, and he’s just overwhelming hitters,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s just quality pitch after quality pitch. I think anytime you get in a streak like this, that’s what you’re doing. There’s no let up. No matter what’s going on, it’s a quality pitch. It just keeps coming at you.
Milwaukee first baseman Andrew Vaughn is a career 1-for-8 against Boyd, who is 1-1 with a 9.95 ERA in 12 2/3 innings over three career starts versus the Brewers.
Chicago third baseman Matt Shaw enters the game on a tear after struggling in the weeks before the All-Star break.
Shaw extended his hitting streak to a career-high nine games on Sunday and is batting .444 (12-for-27) with two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs during that span.
The rookie will look to continue the hot streak against Misiorowski, who is making his seventh career start.
Misiorowski, 23, struck out seven over 3 2/3 scoreless innings against the Seattle Mariners last Tuesday. He was pulled after 64 pitches, and manager Pat Murphy said the team is monitoring his workload.
“Obviously, I want to go six or seven (innings),” Misiorowski said. “But they’re looking deeper, season-wise. I’m always going to be competitive and want to get as deep as I can, but it is what it is.”
Misiorowski is making his first appearance against the Cubs. He has 40 strikeouts in his first six starts covering 29 1/3 innings.
“He’s just broken the shell, man,” Murphy said. “He’s just out of the egg, all arms and legs. He’s still got gooey stuff coming off him. He’s something special.”
While the Brewers’ starting rotation is overflowing with talented options, the team’s offense has also risen to the occasion. Center fielder Jackson Chourio, 21, extended his hitting streak to 20 games on Sunday, becoming the 13th major leaguer 21 years or younger since 1901 to have a 20-plus game hit streak. The franchise record is Paul Molitor’s 39-game hitting streak in 1987.
–Field Level Media
