Cubs at Mets
The road woes continue for the Chicago Cubs, who haven’t won away from Wrigley Field in a month and have dropped nine straight on the road heading into the second of a three-game series against the New York Mets on Tuesday. The Mets have won four straight on the strength of dominant pitching and are trying to clinch their first series win at home since May 19-21 against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Mets won 6-1 in Monday’s opener, as Jay Bruce continued his recent hot streak by going 3-for-3 and hitting his 17th home run and Asdrubal Cabrera homered twice. Jacob deGrom tossed the Mets’ first complete game at home since Jon Niese in August 2013, and New York allowed just one run for the fourth straight game. Chicago has scored only 13 runs in its nine straight road defeats. Cubs left-hander Jon Lester hopes for better run support as he takes aim at his 150th career win after failing to reach the milestone last time out against Colorado.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ABC 7 (Chicago), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (3-4, 4.13 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (3-3, 3.45)
After a complete-game gem against San Francisco on May 23, Lester has gone 0-2 with an 8.16 ERA over three starts since. The 33-year-old gave up four runs and six hits over five innings on Thursday against the Rockies, with all the damage coming in one inning, including a three-run blast by DJ LeMahieu. Lester is 3-1 with a 4.67 ERA in five starts against the Mets.
Wheeler has allowed more than two runs only once in his last seven starts, and that was a quality start at Pittsburgh in which he gave up three runs over six innings. The 27-year-old was excellent Wednesday at Texas, limiting the Rangers to one run and six hits over seven frames in a no-decision. Wheeler has been dominant in two starts against the Cubs, both in 2014, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bruce is 15-for-39 with five homers during a nine-game hitting streak.
2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo was 1-for-2 with two walks Monday and is 9-for-22 with a homer during a seven-game hitting streak.
3. Chicago RF Jason Heyward is 7-for-19 with two doubles and two home runs against Wheeler.