Pirates at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs aim for a second consecutive series sweep at home when they wrap up a three-game set against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Chicago has won five straight at Wrigley Field and eight of its last 11 overall to open a 3 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee in the National League Central.
Anthony Rizzo remained hot on Tuesday with a pair of doubles among his three hits in the Cubs' 4-1 victory. Rizzo is 10-for-18 during his five-game hitting streak and is batting .439 with 23 RBIs over his last 15 contests. Pittsburgh hopes Ivan Nova can help cool off Rizzo and register his third win over the Cubs this season when he opposes Jose Quintana in the series finale. The fading Pirates have lost 12 of their last 17 games, including seven of their last nine on the road.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (11-11, 3.97 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jose Quintana (8-11, 4.49)
Nova has struggled in the second half, going 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in eight starts. The 30-year-old Dominican has lost three of his last four turns, including his last outing at Cincinnati in which he allowed seven runs - five earned - in five innings. Nova is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three career starts against the Cubs.
Quintana is 4-3 with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts since being acquired from the crosstown White Sox. The 28-year-old Colombian was dominant in his Cubs debut and posted quality starts in his first three outings, but he was tagged for six runs and nine hits over five innings in a loss at Philadelphia in his last turn. Quintana’s only previous start against the Pirates was in 2015, when he allowed three runs and nine hits over six frames in a loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs RHP Wade Davis converted his 27th consecutive save opportunity to start the season on Tuesday, passing Ryan Dempster for the longest streak in franchise history.
2. The Pirates have scored fewer than two runs 27 times this season, the second-most in the NL behind San Francisco (28).
3. Chicago has allowed fewer than two runs in consecutive games for the first time since a three-game stretch last August.