Veteran lefty Chris Narveson can continue a career-long run of success against Chicago tonight when the Milwaukee Brewers visit the Cubs in the second of four games at Wrigley Field.
A 30-year-old Colorado native, Narveson is 6-1 in 13 career appearances - six starts - against the Cubs with a 3.51 earned run average in 41 innings, allowing 45 hits and striking out 40.
He's 25-17 in 93 career appearances and won 11 games in 30 appearances - 28 starts - with the Brewers last season, his second as a full-time starter.
Narveson had made just five starts in 26 appearances in his initial two seasons with St. Louis and Milwaukee, then opened 28 games for the Brewers in 2010, winning a career-high 12 games.
The Brewers won Monday's series opener, as Aramis Ramirez finished 1-for-3 and knocked in two runs in his first game back in Chicago since signing a four-year deal in the offseason, and Milwaukee fought off a late rally from the Cubs to take a 7-5 decision.
Ramirez, who played nine seasons in Chicago, hurt the Cubs early, but almost handed his former club the game late, as his error in the ninth kept the Chicago rally going and allowed the Cubs to score two runs in the frame before closer John Axford shut the door with two big strikeouts to complete the save and leave the bases full of Cubs.
Shaun Marcum (1-0) made the start for the Brewers, allowing three runs on five hits while fanning five over six innings of work.
Rickie Weeks belted a solo home run, while Mat Gamel finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI as Milwaukee improved to 2-2 after dropping two of three to the Cardinals to open the season.
Shawn Camp (0-1) allowed three runs on five hits over two innings of work to take the loss. Chris Volstad started his first game as a Cub after spending the last four seasons with the Marlins, and yielded three runs on five hits over his five innings.
Darwin Barney and Bryan LaHair each added solo shots for the Cubs, who began the season by losing two of three to the Nationals.
For Chicago, lefty Paul Maholm makes his first start as a Cub after seven seasons and 185 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Maholm was 6-14 with the Pirates in 26 starts last season, posting a 3.66 ERA in 162 1/3 innings and striking out 97 batters.
He won a career-high 10 games with Pittsburgh in 2007.
The 29-year-old Mississippi native is 3-8 in 19 career starts against the Brewers with a 4.45 ERA in 121 1/3 innings.
The Brewers lost five of seven in Chicago last season.
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