The Chicago Cubs will try to finish off their second four-game sweep of the season when they play the finale of their road series against the New York Mets on Sunday. The Cubs, who also took four from Milwaukee at home from April 26-29, have won six of their last seven to move a season-high nine games over .500.
Chicago (32-23) interrupted a 14-inning pitchers’ duel with a six-run outburst for a 7-1 victory Saturday, as Albert Almora Jr. snapped the tie with a two-run double, Ben Zobrist followed with a two-run double and Javier Baez capped it with a pinch-hit, two-run homer. The big inning spoiled an otherwise impressive night for a beleaguered Mets bullpen, which saw five relievers combine for six scoreless frames before Chicago teed off on Buddy Baumann and Gerson Bautista in the 14th. The Cubs are 5-1 on their current trek, which wraps up Sunday, despite piling up 61 strikeouts on the trip, including a season-high 24 Saturday. Chicago’s pitching staff has been excellent of late, posting a 2.39 ERA over the past 10 games.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ABC 7 (Chicago), WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (5-2, 2.71 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (2-3, 3.55)
Lester had allowed two runs or fewer in five straight starts before giving up four over six innings in a win at Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The 34-year-old has 18 strikeouts and only two walks over 19 innings across his last three outings. Lester is 5-1 with a 3.83 ERA in seven starts against the Mets.
Matz is expected to make his regular start despite leaving Tuesday's outing after three innings with a strained left index finger. The 27-year-old was outstanding in May, going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA. Matz is 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Cubs, both in 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs OF Ben Zobrist is 10-for-21 with four doubles, two homers, and seven RBIs over the past five games and has eight hits in the series.
2. Mets OF Brandon Nimmo went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts Saturday after collecting 11 extra-base hits and nine RBIs in his previous 11 contests.
3. The Cubs drew nine walks Saturday and have averaged 5.1 free passes over their past 25 games after walking 1.6 times per game in their previous 11 contests.