Homer-happy Giants provide challenge for Ben Brown, Cubs

The San Francisco Giants will look to continue their road offensive onslaught against a pitcher who has allowed just 11 earned runs all season when they face Ben Brown and the Chicago Cubs in the continuation of a three-game series Saturday afternoon.

Having scored 12 and 18 runs in wins in two different National League Central cities in the past two days, the Giants will attempt to build their first four-game winning streak of the season and support struggling right-hander Landen Roupp (5-6, 4.22 ERA).

Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Casey Schmitt did just that for starter Robbie Ray on Friday, each contributing a pair of home runs in an 18-3 victory that marked the Giants' biggest run count at Wrigley Field in 65 years.

Chapman did the most damage to Cubs starter Edward Cabrera and five relievers on Friday, hitting a grand slam and a three-run homer as part of a career-best, eight-RBI day.

After making Wrigley Field the 32nd major league venue he has homered at, Chapman said a trip during which he's had 10 hits in eight games is a team effort.

"It's fun to hit with guys on base," he told a television audience from the field after the win Friday. "We've been having fun, and we're just trying to keep a good thing going. The offense seems to be contagious right now."

The Giants launched seven home runs on Friday, a day after hitting two in a 12-9 defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Little has come easily against the Cubs' Brown (2-2, 1.92) this season. The right-hander threw a season-best seven innings in his most recent start, a 6-1 win at St. Louis last Saturday during which he limited the Cardinals to one run and three hits.

His only career head-to-head with the Giants came in a 3-1 home loss on May 7, 2025, in which he gave up all three San Francisco runs in five innings.

The Cubs have failed to take advantage of the start of a 22-game stretch against the Athletics, Giants, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets -- all sub-.500 clubs. Chicago lost two of three games to the A's, and then the opener with the Giants.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said no one game or one series is more important than another.

"We've got a job to do," he told reporters Friday, "and I don't think it changes where we're playing, who we're playing, what time of the year it is. And that's how you have to approach this."

Roupp will take a personal six-game winless streak into his 13th start of the season. He's coming off his worst outing of the year, tagged for eight runs and eight hits in four innings in a 16-2 loss at Milwaukee on Monday.

He will face the Cubs for the second time in his career, having suffered a 9-2 loss at Wrigley Field on May 5, 2025, in which he allowed two earned runs (four total) in five innings.

Seiya Suzuki contributed a two-run single to the Cubs' win over Roupp last season. He's homered in two of Chicago's past three games.

- Field Level Media