Cubs at White Sox
After splitting two games at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox head to the South Side to continue the annual Crosstown Cup on Wednesday. The Cubs hope to continue their second-half surge and keep pace in the tightening National League Central race, while the last-place White Sox look to play spoiler at home against their crosstown rivals.
The Cubs evened the series with a 7-2 victory Tuesday, improving to 9-2 since the All-Star break and remaining a half-game behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. Catcher Willson Contreras continued his recent tear with a home run and four RBIs and is hitting .341 with five home runs and 15 RBIs since the All-Star break. The White Sox have lost 13 of their last 15 games, including nine of 10 since the break. The White Sox have dropped five straight at home, where they haven’t won since July 2.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, ABC 7 (Cubs), CSN Chicago (White Sox)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (9-7, 4.11 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (2-2, 5.79)
Arrieta has pitched well in two starts since the All-Star break, allowing four runs (three earned) over 12 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old has recorded three quality starts in his last four outings and was one out away in the other. Arrieta is 3-1 with a 4.14 ERA in seven meetings with the White Sox.
Shields has notched only two quality starts in nine outings this season and has made it through six innings just three times. The 35-year-old was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings Friday at Kansas City, but he didn’t factor in the decision. Shields is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in four starts against the Cubs, including a win last season in which he threw 7 2/3 scoreless frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs have hit 23 first-inning home runs, second-most in the majors, after hitting 25 homers in the opening frame last season.
2. White Sox 2B Yoan Moncada is 2-for-20 with six strikeouts in six games since being called up July 19.
3. Cubs OF Jon Jay has reached base in seven straight plate appearances.