Pirates at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs battled an inconsistent offense and an underachieving starting rotation for most of the first two months of the season, but they’re starting to look like the World Series contender they were expected to be. The Cubs have won 10 of their last 12 games to move a season-best 12 games over .500, and they’ll try to continue that trend in the second of a three-game series with the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Chicago won its third straight and seventh in eight contests with a 3-1 victory in Friday’s series opener, remaining a half-game back of National League Central leader Milwaukee. "We've been playing great," Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told reporters. "It's something we've all known we can play like. We expected to go on a run here like this." Bryant batted leadoff for the first time in his career Friday and went 3-for-4 for his team-best eighth three-hit game of the season. The Pirates have lost five of their last six games and 15 of 20 to drop below .500 for the first time all season.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Nick Kingham (2-2, 4.03 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (6-2, 2.44)
After winning his first two starts, the Pirates have dropped Kingham’s last three and he has taken the loss in two of them. The 26-year-old rookie gave up four runs (three earned) over five innings in a 5-0 defeat at St. Louis on Sunday. Kingham started against the Cubs on May 29 in Pittsburgh and gave up three runs in 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
Lester has been the Cubs’ best starter and has been outstanding for an extended period, posting a 1.94 ERA over his last nine starts. The 34-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in six of his last seven outings, including Sunday when he held the New York Mets to two hits over seven scoreless innings in a road win. Lester improved to 6-5 with a 3.68 ERA in 14 starts against the Pirates with a win on May 29 in Pittsburgh.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago OF Jason Heyward went 2-for-4 on Friday for his 12th multi-hit game of the season, five of which have come in his past nine contests.
2. Pirates LF Corey Dickerson is 13-for-33 during an eight-game hitting streak and 3B Colin Moran has reached base in nine straight games.
3. Bryant is 13-for-31 during a seven-game hitting streak but has not hit a home run in 20 games, his longest such drought since 2015.