Cubs at Pirates
The All-Star break can’t come soon enough for the Chicago Cubs, who have dropped eight of their last nine games heading into the second of a three-game road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The second-place Pirates have pulled within 7 1/2 games of the Cubs following an 8-4 win in the series opener.
The Cubs no longer own the best record in the majors, having lost 14 times in 19 games, and they badly need at least one win before the break to buoy their lead over surging Pittsburgh. The Pirates have won 11 of their last 14, but Friday’s win was just their second in 10 meetings with the Cubs this season. Cubs left-hander Jon Lester will face the Pirates for the fourth time this season after going 2-1 in the first three contests, allowing four runs over 18 1/3 innings with 21 strikeouts. Lester will be without his usual battery mate, as rookie Willson Contreras starts behind the plate with veteran David Ross on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-4, 2.67 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Chad Kuhl (1-0, 4.09)
Lester is coming off the shortest outing of his career Sunday against the New York Mets, who tagged him for eight runs and nine hits in a 1 1/3 innings. The eight runs allowed matched Lester’s total over his previous six starts, and he gave up three homers. Lester is 4-3 with a 1.90 ERA in seven starts against the Pirates.
Kuhl has given the Pirates serviceable outings in each of his first two big-league starts, and Pittsburgh has won both. The 23-year-old recorded his first quality start Saturday at Oakland, holding the Athletics to two runs and seven hits over six frames. Kuhl doesn’t produce a lot of strikeouts, but he doesn’t walk many batters – he has issued just 20 free passes in 87 2/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates OF Gregory Polanco left Friday’s game with left hamstring tightness and is day-to-day.
2. The Cubs have hit 118 home runs, a franchise record for homers before the All-Star break.
3. Chicago CF Dexter Fowler (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Single-A South Bend on Friday and went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks.