Cubs at Reds
A pair of right-handers look to keep alive their dominant starts when the
Chicago Cubs send Jake Arrieta against surging rookie Anthony
DeSclafani in the continuation of a three-game series Saturday in
Cincinnati. Arrieta is building off the success of his breakout 2014
campaign while DeSclafani enters with a scoreless streak of 15 innings,
which includes seven dominant frames in a win over Arrieta and the Cubs
on April 14.
The pair will be hoping to give their respective clubs some length after 11 pitchers were used in Chicago's 7-3 win in 11 innings Friday night. David Ross had a two-run double in the Cubs' decisive four-run rally in the 11th as they improved to 3-1 this season against their National League Central rivals. As has been the case often of late, Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo set the tone with a one-out single and eventually scored the go-ahead run on Jonathan Herrera's base hit. Rizzo was 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk and he has reached base safely in 28 of his last 52 plate appearances.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ABC7 (Chicago), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (2-1, 1.74 ERA) vs. Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (2-0, 0.86)
Arrieta is 16-8 with a 2.71 ERA in 37 starts with Chicago after dominating Pittsburgh on Monday. He limited the Pirates to a run on four hits in seven innings while striking out seven and getting through a start without a walk for the first time in 2015. In addition to being outdueled by DeSclafani earlier this month, the 29-year-old gave up six runs on six hits and four walks in four frames in his only prior start in Cincinnati last season.
DeSclafani followed up his win at Wrigley Field with an even crisper outing at Milwaukee on Monday, yielding two singles in eight scoreless innings. He has let up just nine hits in 21 frames overall and only four during his scoreless stretch. DeSclafani is 0-2 with a 7.31 ERA at home in his career, compared to 4-0 with a 0.70 mark on the road.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds CF Billy Hamilton stole three bases in the series opener and leads the majors with 12.
2. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant has six RBIs and five runs scored over a five-game stretch.
3. Cincinnati RF Jay Bruce is 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts over his last three games.