Brewers @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Milwaukee Brewers (57-53)

@ Chicago Cubs (57-51)

Starting Pitchers:

Davies (MIL): 8-4; 3.56 ERA

Quintana (CHC) 8-7; 4.47 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Milwaukee Brewers: 5-5

Chicago Cubs: 3-7

Current odds:

Milwaukee Brewers: (+130)

Chicago Cubs: (-140)

• The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers have combined to win the last three National League Central titles as they reconvene for a weekend series beginning Friday at Wrigley Field. Chicago is 2-4 during a nine-game stretch against Milwaukee and St. Louis, losing two of three in each city after Thursday’s 8-0 loss to the Cardinals, and finds itself one game behind first-place St. Louis – NL Central champion from 2013-15 – with Milwaukee two back of the Cardinals. The Cubs are an uncharacteristic 10-8 since the All-Star Game seeing as they are 199-111 in manager Joe Maddon’s four-plus seasons after the break – by far the best record in baseball.

• Milwaukee began its nine-game road trip by losing two of three to Oakland, including a 5-3 setback Thursday in which struggling closer Josh Hader yielded a go-ahead two-run homer to Matt Chapman in the eighth inning. The Brewers’ Christian Yelich, who is a threat to win the Triple Crown with a .332 average, 36 home runs and 81 RBIs, carries a career-high 19-game hitting streak – tied for the longest in the majors this season – into Friday’s contest. Milwaukee’s Zach Davies on Friday gets another crack at the Cubs after getting lit up Sunday and opposes Jose Quintana, who had his four-start winning streak snapped with a no-decision opposite Davies.

• Davies entered Sunday’s game with a 2.54 ERA in 15 starts against Chicago before allowing seven runs, four hits (two home runs) and three walks in five innings of an 11-4 loss. The 26-year-old Arizona native also struggled in his previous start, yielding seven runs (six earned) and nine hits (two home runs) over four innings of a 14-6 setback to Cincinnati on July 23. Kyle Schwarber is 5-for-25 with four home runs, four walks and nine RBIs versus Davies, who is 6-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 16 starts against Chicago – 1-1, 4.24 this season – and 4-2, 3.60 in seven turns at Wrigley Field.

• Quintana permitted three runs, four hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings at Milwaukee on Sunday and is 0-2 with an 8.79 ERA in three starts against the Brewers this season. The 30-year-old Colombian recorded a 4.12 ERA during his winning streak while allowing 26 hits in 24 innings. Yelich is 6-for-22 with five strikeouts while teammate Mike Moustakas is batting .245 with three home runs and 15 strikeouts in 53 at-bats against Quintana, who is 6-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 14 career starts versus Milwaukee.

• Cubs RF Nicholas Castellanos made his club debut Thursday after being acquired from Detroit on Wednesday and provided Chicago’s only hit – a two-out single in the sixth inning.

• Yelich is batting .297 with two home runs in 37 at-bats against the Cubs this season and 2-for-12 while not going deep at Wrigley Field.

• Chicago on Thursday did not hold a lead in a game for the first time since the All-Star break.