Cubs at Reds
Until their recent surge, the Cincinnati Reds had the worst record in the National League, but now they’re one of the league’s hottest teams. The Reds aim for a fifth straight victory when they host the Chicago Cubs for the second of a four-game series Friday.
Cincinnati beat the Cubs 6-2 in Thursday’s series opener and is batting .314 as a team with eight homers and 28 runs during its four-game winning streak. The Reds are without a big left-handed bat for at least the first three games of the series with outfielder Scott Schebler going on the bereavement list Thursday, but they got to the Cubs’ pitchers during a six-run sixth inning Thursday. The loss was just the seventh in 22 games for the Cubs, who dropped a game behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. Chicago was 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on in the opener, and that has been a recurring problem for what has been a boom-or-bust offense.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jose Quintana (6-5, 4.06 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (4-8, 5.77)
Quintana has allowed two runs or fewer in four straight starts and five of his last six, but he’s winless in his last three outings. The 29-year-old gave up two runs and four hits over five innings in a 5-0 loss at St. Louis on Sunday. Quintana threw seven innings of one-hit ball in a shutout of the Reds on May 19 and is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three career meetings.
Castillo has lost his last four starts and posted a 6.97 ERA over that span. The 25-year-old has posted only four quality starts in 15 outings this season and has surrendered a National League-high 17 home runs. Castillo pitched well against the Cubs in the first game of a May 19 doubleheader, allowing one run over five innings in a no-decision, and he threw six scoreless frames in his only start against Chicago last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs RF Jason Heyward is hitting .370 with 10 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs over his past 19 games and has reached base in 13 straight contests.
2. Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez is 12-for-40 with four homers during a career-high 11-game hitting streak.
3. OF Jesse Winker’s grand slam Thursday was the Reds’ sixth of the season, tied with Boston for the most in the majors.