BREWERS AT CUBS

The facts: 1:20 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM.

The pitchers: Freddy Peralta (10-5, 2.81 ERA in 2021) vs. Marcus Stroman (10-13, 3.02).

Cubs hurlers have hit Brewers hitters on 26 occasions. Three Cubs and two Brewers were dinged Saturday.

Contreras, who was hit in the fourth inning by Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, has been plunked 10 times by Milwaukee pitchers since the beginning of 2020.

“Being hit that many times is not fun,” said Contreras, who has been hit 15 times by the Brewers during his career. “I know they’re not trying to, but if you don’t have the command to go in, just don’t go because you’re going to get somebody hurt. I’m not trying to get hurt by a hit-by-pitch.”

For a moment, it looked like one of Contreras’ teammates might have gotten injured.

In the seventh, Brewers reliever Trevor Gott’s slider hit Ian Happ on the left kneecap, and Happ crumpled to the ground. Luckily for the Cubs, Happ was able to walk off the field under his own power. X-rays came back negative.

Happ didn’t think the frequent plunkings by Milwaukee were intentional. Instead, he believes that pitching inside is part of the Brewers’ scouting report on the Cubs.

“I don’t think it’s on purpose,” Happ said. “Obviously, when it’s your teammates, if you’re going to come inside, you’ve got to throw strikes. You’ve got to be able to command it because it gets dangerous. But besides that, I don’t think it’s on purpose.”

This was only the second of 19 games between the teams, which will give them plenty of time to settle scores. It’s unclear whether the animosity between the teams is over, but Contreras hopes it ended.

“We’re not trying to get hit by a pitch, and they’re not trying to get hurt by a pitch, either,” Contreras said. “I respect all of the players. I think their coaching staff needs to realize that we’re human beings playing out there.”