Cubs target series win against Brewers

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Cubs go for a series win Saturday in the middle test of a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cubs are coming off Friday's 7-6 victory in the series opener at Miller Park and used four home runs to prevail. Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler and Starlin Castro all went deep for the Cubs, who won for the second time in the last seven contests.

Castro homered and Kris Bryant stroked an RBI single in the ninth to give the visitors a seemingly comfortable lead. Milwaukee answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame on a Ryan Braun home run, but Gerardo Parra later struck out swinging to end the game.

"There are a lot of things that we can do better." Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. "We have to do better and as we do you will see us beat our own personal expectations."

Cubs starter Jason Hammel surrendered just two runs on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts over seven innings to improve to 6-0 in eight career starts against the Brewers.

Travis Wood aims to get back on the winning track when he takes the mound for Chicago Saturday. Wood struggled the last time out in a 10-9 loss at St. Louis and did not figure into the decision after allowing six runs in five innings.

The Cubs had won Wood's previous three starts and the lefty is 4-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 career meetings (10 starts) with the Brewers.

Milwaukee has the majors' worst record at 9-21 and has lost two straight and three of four games after winning three in a row.

Braun had a big blast in the ninth and Khris Davis ended 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI for the Brewers.

Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson was saddled with the loss for giving up four runs and five hits, including three home runs, across seven innings. He also fanned 11 batters and walked one.

"Every out is important," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "If we want to win games, we have to commit to every out being important, no matter what the score is."

The Brewers will also host the Chicago White Sox on this 10-game homestand (2-3).

Kyle Lohse was drafted by the Cubs back in 1996 and will face them Saturday night. Lohse hasn't garnered much success this season with the Brewers and is only 1-4 with a 7.01 ERA in six starts.

Lohse did not record a decision his last time out in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and gave up three runs in five innings. Lohse has given up seven runs over his past two appearances and has made 23 career starts against the Cubs, going 7-7 with a 4.88 ERA.

Milwaukee won two of three meetings with the Cubs to begin the month of May.