If the Chicago Cubs already weren’t feeling good about returning to Progressive Field, they certainly are now. After a dominant performance in the series opener, the Cubs will try to keep the good vibes flowing when they wrap up a two-game interleague set with the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.
Kyle Schwarber went deep twice for the Cubs in Tuesday's 10-3 win and is now 15-for-30 with three homers, a double and a triple in seven games at Cleveland, including the postseason. The Cubs hope to complement Schwarber’s hot bat with the return of star third baseman Kris Bryant, who left Sunday’s game in Colorado after being hit in the helmet with a pitch and sat out the series opener. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Indians, who continued their slow start at the plate. Cleveland ranks 13th in the American League in scoring as stars Francisco Lindor (.218) and Edwin Encarnacion (.154) have struggled out of the gate.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (2-0, 3.10 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (1-2, 2.67)
Lester has alternated shaky starts with dominant efforts over his first four outings. The 34-year-old struck out seven and limited St. Louis to one unearned run and two hits over six frames on Thursday. Lester is 4-0 with a 3.72 ERA in eight starts in Cleveland, where he pitched three innings of relief in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
Bauer has endured more than his share of tough luck, as he has posted quality starts in three of his four outings and has yet to allow more than three runs but only has one victory. The 27-year-old has racked up 27 strikeouts in 27 innings and generated 14 swinging strikes in a loss at Baltimore on Friday. Bauer faced the Cubs in 2015 and allowed four hits over seven scoreless frames, but he went 0-2 against them in the World Series.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs have scored a National League-high 48 runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
2. The Indians are 9-0 when they don’t allow a home run and 3-9 when they give up at least one blast.
3. Cubs 2B Javier Baez (15-for-35, three homers, 13 RBIs) and CF Albert Almora Jr. (13-for-32, homer, 5 RBIs) are riding seven-game hitting streaks.