BREWERS
NOTE: List only Looper as Milwaukee's starting pitcher

Cubs starter Rich Harden (9-8, 4.04 ERA) has pitched well in the second half of the season, with a 2.39 ERA since the All-Star break.

The hard-throwing right-hander is as fragile as a ceramic vase, however, and rarely throws more than 100 pitches in his starts. And he strikes out and walks a lot of batters, so he usually is pulled by the sixth inning, which makes him unreliable.

In Harden's last start, against Cincinnati on Friday, he allowed just one run and two hits, but he was pulled after making 103 pitches in four innings because he struck out six and walked five.

Harden is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four career starts vs. Milwaukee. In his last start against the Brewers, on July 4, he gave up seven runs and eight hits in just two innings.

Milwaukee starter Braden Looper (12-6, 4.77) is trying to set a career high for wins today. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA over his last five starts, and allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings Friday against Arizona.

Looper is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two outings vs. the Cubs this season, and allowed two runs and six hits in six innings in his last start against them, on July 4, when he beat Harden.

Looper is 4-6 with a 2.59 ERA in 42 career games (10 starts) against Chicago.

The Cubs have won seven of their last eight, but I love Milwaukee as an underdog today. Harden has really struggled at Wrigley Field this year, going 3-6 with a 5.99 ERA in 14 starts. Take the Brewers in this one.