Brewers @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Milwaukee Brewers (68-66)

@ Chicago Cubs (73-61)

Starting Pitchers:

Davies (MIL): 8-7; 3.90 ERA

Hamels (CHC) 7-4; 3.73 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Milwaukee Brewers: 4-6

Chicago Cubs: 7-3

Current odds:

Milwaukee Brewers: (+150)

Chicago Cubs: (-160)

• The Chicago Cubs aim to produce their second five-game winning streak in a two-week span when they continue a three-game series with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The Cubs opened the set with a 7-1 victory Friday afternoon to run their current streak to four wins in a row and solidify their hold on the second wild card in the National League. Nicholas Castellanos continued to prove to be perhaps the most impactful trade deadline acquisition in the majors with two home runs and four RBIs for Chicago, which improved to 45-22 at home. Castellanos is hitting .357 with 11 home runs and 20 RBIs in 27 games since he was traded from Detroit to the Cubs on July 31.

• The Brewers have lost four of five to sink five games out in the wild-card race and they will be without standout rookie Keston Hiura for a bit after he left Friday’s tilt with a hamstring issue. Veteran lefty Cole Hamels has come off the paternity list in time to make Saturday’s start for the Cubs, while the struggling Zach Davies goes for Milwaukee.

• Davies has finished no more than five innings during a stretch of five straight losses, a span in which he has posted a 9.41 ERA. Included in the slump are two matchups with the Cubs, who got to the 26-year-old for 11 runs with four homers in nine total innings between the two outings. Davies had two solid starts versus Chicago earlier in the year and has a 3.87 ERA in 17 career meetings.

• Hamels is 1-1 with a 7.29 ERA in five August starts after missing all of July with an oblique strain, although most of the damage was done in his last road start during the stretch. He has allowed three runs or fewer three times this month, including five scoreless frames against the Brewers at home Aug. 3. Hernan Perez is 8-for-16 with three extra-base hits against the four-time All-Star, who is 8-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 18 career starts versus Milwaukee.

• The Cubs optioned RHP James Norwood to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the roster for Hamels.

• Chicago C/1B Victor Caratini had two hits and an RBI on Friday and is 11-for-21 with six RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.

• Brewers RF Christian Yelich had a pair of hits Friday but remained stuck on 41 home runs for the 11th straight game.