Home Cooking: Cubs target seventh straight home win against Brewers

Baseball Betting Lines

07/04/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs have picked the perfect time to get hot. Today, they try to win their seventh straight game at home and their fourth consecutive game overall, as they continue a four-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs moved back over .500 and closed to within 2 1/2 games of first place in the NL Central on Friday when Jake Fox drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Ryan Theriot in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting Chicago to a 2-1 win.

Theriot finished 2-for-5, while Mike Fontenot and Koyie Hill each had two hits apiece for the Cubs, who are in the midst of their longest home winning streak since taking 14 straight in the Windy City from May 18-June 22, 2008.

Carlos Zambrano went an effective seven innings, but did not factor in the decision. The burly right-hander allowed one run on five hits, struck out three and walked the same number of batters. He also had an RBI single. Kevin Gregg (3-2) was credited with the win after working two scoreless innings.

"We got good pitching, kept us in the ball game ," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Zambrano, (Aaron) Heilman, Gregg. To hold that team down to one run, you're pitching well."

Corey Hart accounted for the lone Milwaukee run with a bases loaded walk. The Brewers have dropped three straight. Craig Counsell had a hit and scored in defeat.

The loss was also Milwaukee's fifth straight on the road, where it hasn't lost six in a row since a nine-game slide from May 2-18, 2008.

Jeff Suppan pitched to a no-decision after going seven solid innings. He gave up a run on four hits, walked a pair and fanned four.

"We got to start hitting day games after night games, because the last two day games after night games we were shutout and today we got one run, a walk with the bases loaded," Brewers manager Ken Macha said. "So, we have to change that up a little bit. But 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, you aren't going to win many games doing that."

Heading to the hill for the Cubs today will be right-hander Rich Harden, who is 5-4 with a 4.57 ERA. Harden won for the first time since May 12 on Monday in Pittsburgh, as he held the Pirates to a run and nine hits in seven innings. He also struck out nine and walked a batter.

Harden did not get a decision the last time he faced the Brewers, but is 1-0 in three starts against them, surrendering just three runs over 18 innings of those outings.

Milwaukee will counter with righty Braden Looper, who is 6-4 this season with a 4.90 ERA. Looper earned the win against the New York Mets on Monday, as he held them to one earned run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Looper has faced the Cubs 41 times (nine starts) and is 3-6 with a 2.57 ERA.

Milwaukee has lost five of its eight meetings with the Cubs this season, but won in five of its nine visits to Wrigley a year ago.

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