In a matchup between two of the league’s highest-scoring offenses, strong starting pitching has been the key to the first two games of the Chicago Cubs’ set against the visiting Colorado Rockies. If that trend holds, the Cubs hope star left-hander Jon Lester will give them the upper hand in Sunday’s series finale.
Lester looks to follow the lead set by Jake Arrieta, who tossed eight scoreless innings to help the Cubs even the series with a 6-2 victory Saturday. The only bright spot for the Rockies on Saturday was a two-run homer by Carlos Gonzalez, who has nine blasts in 19 career games at Wrigley Field. The Cubs belted three home runs a day after their weakest offensive output of the season, as they managed only one run and four hits in the series opener. Chicago is trying to win its fifth straight home series against Colorado dating to 2012.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (1-1, 4.38 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (1-0, 2.77)
Chatwood missed 1 1/2 years following his second Tommy John surgery but is off to a solid start in his return to the big leagues. He made a couple of costly mistakes last time out, surrendering four of his five runs on homers in a loss to San Francisco. The 26-year-old is making his first career appearance at Wrigley Field, but he defeated the Cubs with a quality start in 2013.
Lester was outstanding in winning his season debut, and though he wasn’t as sharp last time out, he still managed to register a quality start. The 32-year-old gave up three runs and five hits over six innings in a no-decision against Cincinnati on Monday. Lester was dominant in one start against the Rockies last season, striking out 14 and allowing two runs and five hits over eight innings to earn the win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Gonzalez has hit safely in a career-best 21 straight games dating to last season, the fourth player in the past 50 years to end one campaign and begin the next with hitting streaks of at least 10 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
2. Cubs CF Dexter Fowler, who belted a three-run homer Saturday, has reached safely in every game this season and been on base 26 times in 47 plate appearances.
3. Chicago INF Javier Baez went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run in his first action of the season Saturday after injuring his thumb in spring training.