Giants at Cubs
The San Francisco Giants are surging after a disappointing start to the season, and they hope to see star pitcher Johnny Cueto follow suit. Cueto takes the mound Tuesday as the Giants play the second contest of their four-game road series against the Chicago Cubs.
The Giants have won eight of their last 10 contests after posting a 6-4 triumph in the series opener, and that’s with Cueto pitching well below expectations. The Cubs also have underachieved in the first quarter of the season, and Jon Lester has been one of the players who has not performed to his potential. Chicago has lost two of three following a three-game winning streak, as a late rally on Monday fell short despite two-run blasts by Javier Baez and Ben Zobrist in the eighth inning. Zobrist has reached base in 20 consecutive games, the third-longest streak of his career and the longest by a Cub this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBC Sports Bay Area (San Francisco), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (4-3, 4.50 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (2-2, 3.57)
Cueto is winless in his last three turns and had a streak of four straight quality starts snapped last time out. The 31-year-old gave up five runs over six innings in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. Cueto is 9-8 with a 3.24 ERA in 24 career starts against the Cubs, including a 5-5 mark and 3.07 ERA in 15 outings at Wrigley Field.
Lester has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 21 straight starts at Wrigley Field dating to September 2015. The 33-year-old extended the streak when he beat Cincinnati on Thursday, allowing three runs and six hits over six frames. Lester is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in five career starts against the Giants and split a pair of outings against them last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs rookie INF Ian Happ tripled in his first career pinch-hitting appearance Monday and has hit safely in his first eight major-league games.
2. Giants 3B/OF Eduardo Nunez is 13-for-37 during his nine-game hitting streak but just 2-for-18 with five strikeouts versus Lester.
3. Chicago OF Jon Jay is 13-for-38 with two doubles and three home runs against Cueto.