Brewers vs. Cubs: Chicago in Danger of 4-Game Sweep by Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers (4-2) will look to finish off a four-game road sweep of the Chicago Cubs (1-5) inside Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:20 ET.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Brewers as minus-133 favorites, while the total has settled in at 7.5.

Milwaukee will actually be searching for its first-ever four-game sweep of Chicago, as the team also looks to continue its streak of homering in each contest to open the 2012 campaign.

The Brewers have received tremendous starting pitching over the last five games, with the staff posting a 4-1 record and 2.70 ERA over that span.

Zack Greinke (1-0, 0.00 ERA) was outstanding in picking up a 6-0 home win over the St. Louis Cardinals on April 7, giving up just four hits and striking out seven in seven shutout innings.

The right-hander has produced a 2-1 record and 3.20 ERA in three career starts versus the Cubs, but he allowed eight runs (six earned) and eight hits in just 5.1 frames in picking up a 12-7 loss in his only outing inside Thursday's venue on June 16, 2011.

Bettors will likely ignore that latest blemish due to the Brewers being 23-3 in Greinke's last 26 starts as a favorite.

Chicago's bullpen has caused the team to sputter out of the gate, as it garnered a 7.24 ERA in its first five games before settling down to toss 2.1 scoreless innings in Wednesday's 2-1 loss.

The Cubs have been in some tight situations already under first-year skipper Dale Sveum, with all six games being decided by three or fewer runs, while losing three of four games when going into the seventh inning with a lead.

Matt Garza (0-0, 3.00) ended up with a no-decision in a 7-4 home loss to the Washington Nationals in his first outing, giving up two runs and five hits over six innings.

The 28-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.35 ERA in three career starts versus the Brewers, including a brilliant 7-1 complete-game home victory on Sept. 21.  He surrendered just six hits and an unearned run while striking out 10 batters in that affair.

Garza has fared well in April over the course of his career, coming in with a 7-6 record and 3.72 ERA in 20 starts, but the Cubs are 24-32 overall in that situation since the start of the 2010 season.

Chicago has proven victorious in his last five starts versus National League Central opponents.

Weather forecasts suggest game-time temperatures to be in the high-50s, while a 5-10 mph breeze out of the southeast is expected (out to center).