Brown Delivers, Shaw Stays Hot as Cubs Ride Momentum Into Milwaukee
- Eugene McIntosh
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
With questions around the rotation and the trade deadline a few days away, the Cubs slide into Milwaukee with the bottom third of the order carrying a huge load.
CHICAGO - The Cubs have their eyes on October, but before that comes the big decisions that will shape the stretch run. One of the biggest? Figuring out what to do with the starting rotation.
Ben Brown knows his name has been in that mix — and not always for the right reasons.
Coming into the finale of the Crosstown Series, Brown carried a 4-7 record with a 6.48 ERA in 16 starts, and hitters tagged him for a .381 average over his last two outings. On Sunday afternoon on the South Side, Brown delivered his most important start of the season, helping the Cubs close out the series with a 5-4 win over the White Sox.
Brown Finds His Form
5 IP/3 H/1 ER/4 K — a solid line for Brown, but the deeper story was the way he got it done.
Three of his four strikeouts and eight of his 15 outs came via his vicious knuckle curveball, his signature pitch. He also showed growing confidence in a changeup that’s becoming a much-needed third pitch.
Brown gave up a solo homer to Andrew Benintendii in the first but locked in from there. After two quick hits in the third, Nico Hoerner’s heads-up infield fly-rule double play ended the White Sox threat and Brown retired the final six batters he faced.
“I’ve been working hard in bullpens to increase execution,” Brown said postgame. “The curveball has really been taking a step up. It’s encouraging to see swings and misses, especially first and second with no outs. Those are some at-bats I’ve struggled with this year.”
After a reset stint in Iowa to work on his mechanics and mental approach, this was the version of Ben Brown the Cubs were hoping for.
Shaw Keeps Shining
While trade rumors swirl around the Cubs and the possibility of adding a veteran bat, rookie Matt Shaw continues to make his case to stay right where he is.
Shaw went 1-for-4 with an RBI, extending his career-high hitting streak to nine games. During the streak, he’s hitting .444 (12-for-27) — a complete turnaround after a 1-for-27 slump in his previous 10 games.
Since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa on May 19:
13 stolen bases (leads all NL rookies)
16 base hits (2nd among NL rookies)
Shaw’s improved discipline and adjustment to his stance have made him a steady spark plug in the Cubs' lineup — especially crucial right now.
The Big Bats Are Cold
The big boppers have been struggling as of late:
Michael Busch: 5-for his last 40 (.125 avg)
Seiya Suzuki: 2-for his last 29 (.069 avg)
Ian Happ: 11-for-69 in July (.159 avg)
Kyle Tucker: 14-for-70 in July (.200 avg)
The Bottom Third Standing On Business
The 7/8/9 hitters came into today leading MLB in:
Slugging % (.444)
OPS (.768)
Batting Average (.263)
Home Runs (46)
Runs (178)
RBI (172)
Extra-base hits (107)
And they own the lowest strikeout rate in the league (17.2%)
On to Brew City
With the Crosstown Series in the bag for the third straight year, the Cubs hop on I-94 for a showdown with the Milwaukee Brewers — the two teams currently tied for the best record in the NL. Monday night’s matchup features ace Matthew Boyd, an All-Star and one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball this season, vs rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski for Milwaukee.
“It feels like we’re gonna be battling for the division. it’s still July, but those are big games,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell. “We’re gonna go and face a good baseball team on the road, so we've got a big challenge and a fun challenge.”
One thing for sure, this series will have a playoff atmosphere. Two things for certain, the Cubs enter a defining stretch and the Brewers love sticking it to them this time of year.
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