Pirates at Cubs
The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost 14 of their last 19 contests and haven’t won consecutive games in three weeks, and the Chicago Cubs don’t want to let their National League Central rivals up off the canvas. The surging Cubs will try to prolong the visiting Pirates’ struggles when the teams begin a three-game series Friday.
The Pirates last put together a winning streak when they claimed three straight from May 15-17, and they dropped two of three at home against the Cubs from May 28-30. The Cubs held on for a 4-3 win Thursday to take two of three from visiting Philadelphia and have won six of their last seven as well as nine of 11. Chicago has had excellent starting pitching over that stretch and hopes left-hander Mike Montgomery can continue that trend. The Pirates turn to right-hander Chad Kuhl, who is 1-5 with a 7.02 ERA in eight starts against the Cubs and 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA in three outings at Wrigley Field.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Chad Kuhl (4-3, 3.86 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.89)
Kuhl is winless in his last five outings, but he has put together quality starts in three straight turns and five of his last six. The Delaware native allowed two runs and four hits over six innings in a no-decision at St. Louis on Saturday, recording five strikeouts - his sixth straight outing with at least that many. Kuhl held the Cubs to one run over six frames May 28 but took the loss in a 7-0 defeat.
Montgomery has been terrific in two spot starts filling in while Yu Darvish is on the disabled list. The 28-year-old has allowed one run and four hits over 11 2/3 innings across those two outings, and the Cubs have won both games. Montgomery is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA in eight games (two starts) against the Pirates.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo, who is 7-for-17 with five extra-base hits versus Kuhl, has hit safely in 17 of his past 18 games with a plate appearance and has 19 RBIs over that stretch.
2. Francisco Cervelli and Elias Diaz both homered Thursday and have combined for 13 home runs this season - most among NL catching duos and the most for a Pirates catching tandem since 2014.
3. The Cubs are 25-1 when leading after six innings and 30-1 when taking a lead to the ninth.