Cubs at Pirates
The top prospects populating the middle of the Chicago Cubs' lineup are starting to do damage to opposing pitchers, and they'll try to wreck the Pittsburgh Pirates for a second straight night when they continue their four-game series Tuesday. The Cubs snapped the Pirates' three-game winning streak with a 5-1 win Monday and are looking for their first series win in Pittsburgh since the opening week of the 2013 season.
Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano aims to continue his strong pitching against the Cubs — he is 4-2 with a 2.30 ERA in nine career starts against them — but this is a new-look Cubs lineup. Rookies Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant combined for seven hits, three RBIs and three runs to power the Cubs in the series opener. After an inauspicious debut in which he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, Bryant is 6-for-10 with a pair of doubles in three games and has reached base in 10 of his last 13 plate appearances. The Pirates won 14 of 19 meetings last season, including a 7-3 mark at home.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Travis Wood (1-1, 2.31 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (0-1, 2.08)
Wood was strong in his last outing, throwing seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to beat Cincinnati. The 28-year-old is just 5-7 with a 4.28 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) against the Pirates, but he's 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA in seven outings (six starts) at PNC Park. He has won his last three decisions in Pittsburgh dating to 2011.
Liriano is still looking for his first win despite two quality starts to begin the season. He gave up two runs and two hits in a no-decision against the Reds on Opening Day and limited Detroit to one run and four hits over six innings in a 1-0 loss Wednesday. Liriano has recorded seven strikeouts in each of his two outings and has at least seven in five of his last seven starts dating to last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Soler is 12-for-32 during a seven-game hitting streak, matching the longest streak of his brief career.
2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo and SS Starlin Castro are a combined 5-for-38 with 13 strikeouts versus Liriano.
3. Pirates 1B Pedro Alvarez is 1-for-18 with seven strikeouts versus Wood.