Cubs at Pirates
The Chicago Cubs haven’t had much trouble with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Central rivals’ first two meetings of the season, and they’ll try to keep it up in the finale of a three-game series Wednesday at PNC Park. The Cubs have outscored the Pirates 14-3 while taking the first two contests, and are trying to complete their first three-game sweep at Pittsburgh since September 2012.
The Pirates managed only three hits in Tuesday’s 7-1 loss, as the Cubs’ starting pitching continues to dominate. Chicago has 19 quality starts in 25 games and will look to star left-hander Jon Lester to continue the trend. The Cubs are a major league-best 19-6 and already have opened a five-game lead over the Pirates in the division. Pittsburgh has dropped three straight following a six-game winning streak and permitted at least six runs in every game during the skid.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Chicago, ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (2-1, 1.83 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Juan Nicasio (3-2, 3.33)
Lester is off to the best start of his career, having posted five straight quality starts to begin the season for the first time. The 32-year-old has twice hit double digits in strikeouts, including last time out against Atlanta when he allowed one run and seven hits over seven innings with 10 punchouts. Lester is 2-2 with a 1.86 ERA in four starts against the Pirates.
Nicasio has been a solid addition to the rotation thus far, posting quality starts in three of his first five outings for the Pirates. The 29-year-old Dominican turned in his best outing of the season Friday against Cincinnati, striking out eight and allowing just three hits over seven scoreless frames. Nicasio is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in six games (two starts) against the Cubs and hasn’t made a start against them since 2013.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B/LF Kris Bryant went 3-for-5 Tuesday and is 15-for-35 with two homers and 10 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.
2. PIrates CF Andrew McCutchen, whose average dipped to .221 after an 0-for-3 performance Tuesday, is 1-for-13 with four strikeouts versus Lester.
3. Chicago has won 21 of its last 24 road games dating to last season.