Cubs' Jameson Taillon looks to stay strong in clash vs. Brewers

Right-hander Jameson Taillon will try to win his sixth consecutive start on Thursday afternoon when the Chicago Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of a shortened series.

The two teams had their game on Wednesday night postponed because of rain. It will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 18.

Chicago won the series opener 5-3 on Tuesday.

Taillon (7-3, 3.48 ERA) will keep his spot in the rotation despite the extra day off, and why not? He has been one of the hottest starters in the game over the last month, going 5-0 with a 1.91 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in his last five starts. He hasn't dropped a decision since a 3-1 loss to Miami on May 14.

Taillon comes in off a 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh last Thursday. He allowed two runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out seven for his sixth straight quality start.

"I thought it was just another great start," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "The first six innings, it was pretty dominant I thought, just the way I thought he went through the team. He gave up a hit to the second hitter of the game and really ... very little hard contact."

Taillon is 5-9 with a 3.13 ERA in 19 career appearances (18 starts) against the Brewers, who didn't announce their pitching plans for Thursday after the postponement.

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 0.00 ERA) had been scheduled to make his second career start on Wednesday, but fellow right-hander Freddy Peralta (6-4, 2.60) also is possible.

The 6-foot-7, 197-pound Misiorowski, 23, didn't give up a hit in five innings in his big-league debut on June 12 against St. Louis. He walked four and struck out five while touching 102.2 mph on the radar gun, and 14 of his 81 pitches were clocked at 100 mph or better.

"I've been playing this day in my head forever," said Misiorowski, who was the No. 63 overall pick out of Crowder (Mo.) Junior College in the 2022 MLB Draft.

"I thought I was going to give up a few hits, get your welcome to The Show. But I kind of rolled with it, and now we're here."

Misiorowski left after his right quadriceps and calf began to cramp on him, and he turned his right ankle on a follow-through.

"Of course I don't want to leave like that," he said. "I felt like I could have kept going. I cramped up, and stuff happens. I saw the picture and it looks bad, but it feels good, it feels great."

Peralta is coming off a 3-2 victory over St. Louis on Friday, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts in six innings. It was his first win since May 18 against Minnesota.

Chicago brings a three-game winning streak into Thursday's game and has won four of its last five games.

The Cubs, who lead the majors with a plus-107 run differential, hold a 6 1/2-game lead over the second-place Brewers and Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central.

--Field Level Media