The Chicago Cubs have rolled to eight straight victories to continue their torrid start to the season, and they’ll have a chance to run the streak to double digits with a doubleheader against the visiting San Diego Padres on Wednesday. The Cubs extended their best start in more than a century with an 8-7 win in the series opener and are 12-3 at Wrigley Field, where they’ve won eight of their last nine games.
The Cubs own the best record in the majors at 25-6, their best start since the 1907 World Series champions had the same mark through 31 games. It’s the best start by any team since the 1984 Detroit Tigers – another World Series champion – won 26 of their first 31 contests. Red-hot Ben Zobrist fueled the latest victory, going 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and scoring three times Tuesday to improve to 13-for-29 with four homers and 17 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak. The last-place Padres’ last 10 games have been decided by three runs or fewer with four one-run games during that stretch.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Drew Pomeranz (3-3, 2.12 ERA) vs. Cubs RH John Lackey (4-1, 4.02)
Pomeranz has been San Diego’s most consistent starter, allowing three or fewer earned runs in all six of his outings. The 27-year-old former first-round pick tossed five one-hit innings to beat the New York Mets last time out but ran up his pitch count with three walks and five strikeouts. Pomeranz has lost his last three road starts, as the Padres have totaled just four runs in those games including two shutouts.
Lackey has been terrific in three home starts as a Cub, going 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA. The 37-year-old matched his season high with 11 strikeouts last time out, limiting Washington to two runs and six hits over seven innings to earn the win. Lackey is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in four starts against the Padres and was roughed up for five runs (four earned) in six innings in the only meeting last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs starting pitchers have gone at least five innings in 39 consecutive regular-season games dating to Sept. 27 of last season, the club’s longest streak since a 41-game stretch from 1926-27.
2. Padres RF Matt Kemp entered the series with a .610 slugging percentage at Wrigley Field – the fourth-highest among active players with at least 100 plate appearances there – but was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts Tuesday.
3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo, a former Padres prospect, has reached base safely in 22 straight games, the longest active streak in the National League.