Time: 07:10 P.M. EST Venue: Miller Park
MILWAUKEE -- The way Chicago Cubs fans have taken over Milwaukee's Miller Park this season, John Lackey might feel like he's right at home Saturday afternoon when he takes the mound for game two of a three-game set against the Brewers. Nobody has enjoyed the friendly confines of Wrigley Field this season more than John Lackey. The veteran right-hander, in his first year with the Cubs has compiled a 2.84 ERA at home this season but has struggled on the road, where that number jumps up to 4.70 while Lackey gas gone 0-4 in his last seven road starts. Lackey took a rare home loss his last time out, allowing four runs on six hits over eight innings with eight strikeouts and two walks against the Rangers." I was honestly pretty happy about the way I threw the ball," Lackey said following that outing. "Threw eight innings but definitely not a good day to pitch." He'll be facing Milwaukee for the second time this season -- he allowed a run and struck out five on May 18 -- and has a 5-1 record with a 2.95 ERA in nine career starts against the Brewers, including a 1-0 record and 0.90 ERA in his last three. Milwaukee will counter with right-hander Zach Davies, who has emerged as a top-notch starter in an otherwise struggling rotation. Davies, called up April 17 from Triple-A Colorado Springs, started the season slow (0-3, 8.78 ERA) but has been on a roll over since, going 6-1 with a 2.95 ERA in his last 13 outings. He threw seven scoreless innings his last time out, in a 1-0 loss to the Reds last Sunday in Cincinnati, but retired 16 of his last 17 batters including the final 11 in a row." I felt great," Davies said after the game. "It was great to be back and go out there and just from the start be in the game. Be focused and attacking hitters the way we set up the game plan. I let the defense make plays behind me." Milwaukee had sent Davies back down to Triple-A after his final start of the first half; a procedural move that allowed them to add an extra bat to the bench until Davies' next turn to pitch. The move drew the ire of Davies' agent, Scott Boras, but Davies said he understood." As long as I did my work over the break, I knew it shouldn't be an issue," Davies said. "I took the first couple of days off before I went to Colorado, then had a regular bullpen session, then went home and just tossed every day. I threw a bullpen Wednesday at home and then another one when I got here." Milwaukee has dropped four of the six meetings between the two NL Central rivals so far this season and is 1-4 in the last five series with the Cubs at Miller Park.
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