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The Chicago Cubs started off the 2012 season with fantastic starting pitching and solid hitting, but opening weekend vs. the Washington Nationals was marred by a spectacular bullpen implosion on Saturday afternoon that prevented them from taking the series. But those games were only three of 162, and the Cubs will kick off the remaining 159 on Monday night against a division foe in the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Cubs will kick off division play with new acquisition Chris Volstad on the hill, and after ex-Cub Carlos Zambrano— who Volstad was traded for— pitched a good game for the Miami Marlins on Sunday, a little extra pressure will be on Volstad to impress the Chicago faithful. The Brewers will counter with Sean Marcum, who was one of the best third starters in baseball for most of last year before getting torched over the season's final month and into last year.
The Brewers are coming off an opening series in which they were bludgeoned in two out of three games by the St. Louis Cardinals, and they will certainly be looking to establish the division's pecking order during their visit to Wrigley.
Game date/time: Monday, April 9, 7:05 p.m. CT
Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill.
TV: ESPN, WGN
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