Giants at Cubs
The road has not been kind to the San Francisco Giants, who are off to an 0-3 start on their eight-game trip and have dropped nine of their last 10 away from home. They’re playing in a tough place to reverse that trend, too, as they head into the middle contest of their three-game series against the host Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
The Cubs snapped their four-game home skid with a 6-2 win in Friday’s series opener, improving to 11-2 against the Giants at Wrigley Field since 2015. San Francisco has been outscored 70-25 over its last 10 road games, including 21-5 in the first three of the current trek. The Cubs snapped out of their recent funk with runners in scoring position, recording four hits in those situations on Friday - including Ben Zobrist’s tiebreaking two-run double with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and Kris Bryant’s two-run single with two outs in the frame. Chicago went just 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position in its previous two games.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Chris Stratton (5-3, 4.92 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jose Quintana (5-3, 4.47)
Stratton has failed to go beyond five innings in his last three starts, but he has notched the victory in each of his last two outings. The 27-year-old has registered only two strikeouts while issuing four walks in his last two turns. Stratton is 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA in five starts on the road this season.
Quintana has been wildly inconsistent, alternating strong outings with disappointing ones over the past month. The 29-year-old Colombian is coming off a victory at Cincinnati in which he allowed one hit and four walks with seven strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. Quintana is 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA in two career starts against the Giants.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo has gone 8-for-29 during his seven-game hitting streak and has walked 11 times in his last 13 contests.
2. Giants OF Gorkys Hernandez has gone 10-for-26 during his seven-game hitting streak and has belted three home runs in his last six contests.
3. Chicago CF Albert Almora is 16-for-41 over his last 13 games.