Milwaukee @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2012 ) Milwaukee 4, Chi. Cubs 1

The Milwaukee Brewers are the best team in baseball - as long as they are playing the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers have taken seven straight and 12 of 15 this season from their division rivals. With two more against the Cubs to pad its record, Milwaukee might even have a chance to get back over .500 before the season’s done. The Brewers have put on a power display in two games at Wrigley Field this week, beating the Cubs by a combined 19-5 in two games.

It was familiar power hitters like Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Corey Hart doing the damage in Monday’s 15-4 drubbing, but a lesser-known player got a chance to shine on Tuesday. Rookie Jeff Bianchi hit his first major-league home run to provide the difference in a 4-1 triumph. Chicago has lost 21 of its last 27 games and has playoff contenders San Francisco, Washington and Pittsburgh coming up on the schedule. At 49-79, a poor final month could give the team its first 100-loss season since 1966.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSWI (Milwaukee), CSN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Michael Fiers (7-6, 2.98 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.09)

Fiers is coming off a win at Pittsburgh in which he matched a season high with 10 strikeouts while allowing three runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. The rookie right-hander had pitched a total of seven innings in dropping his two previous starts. Fiers has recorded 96 strikeouts in 93 2/3 total innings in 2012 and has punched out at least six in each of his last five wins. He made one relief appearance against Chicago last season, walking two in a hitless frame.

Samardzija has been one of the bright spots for Chicago this season while firmly establishing himself as a piece of the team’s rotation in the future. In the present, the 27-year-old is coming off a seven-inning outing against Colorado, when he was charged with three runs (two earned) and struck out seven in a no-decision. Samardzija has allowed two earned runs or less in seven of his last 10 starts. He limited the Brewers to one run on three hits in five innings on May 13.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bianchi, 25, was released by the Cubs in January and earned a shot at the big leagues by hitting .325 across two levels in the Milwaukee system.

2. Cubs 2B Darwin Barney matched the National League single-season record with his 113th straight errorless game on Tuesday. David Eckstein set the record for the San Diego Padres in 2010.

3. Former Brewers LHP Randy Wolf, who was released earlier this month, is reportedly close to signing with the Baltimore Orioles. Milwaukee has also reportedly placed RHP Shaun Marcum on waivers.