Diamondbacks at Cubs
It might have provided some levity in a game that went against them from the start, but the Chicago Cubs would prefer to refrain from using position players to pitch for the foreseeable future. The Cubs look to Kyle Hendricks to get their rotation back on track when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday for the second contest of their four-game series.
The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the first inning and chased spot starter Luke Farrell early in Monday’s 7-1 win, as Cubs manager Joe Maddon put position players on the mound for the second time in four days. Victor Caratini and Anthony Rizzo combined to record the final four outs to help the Cubs preserve their bullpen for the remainder of the series between National League contenders. Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt continued his hot hitting against the Cubs with a first-inning homer – he is 8-for-18 with six blasts in his last five games versus Chicago – that helped the Diamondbacks stay within 1 1/2 games of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. The Cubs’ lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central was trimmed to 2 1/2 games.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Clay Buchholz (2-1, 2.56 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 3.99)
Buchholz has pitched well when healthy, and he’s ready to come off the disabled list after suffering a strained oblique on June 24 at Pittsburgh. The 33-year-old has allowed fewer than three runs in six of his seven starts this season, but he has managed to get through six innings only three times. Buchholz has faced the Cubs once while pitching for Boston, allowing one run over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision during the 2014 season.
Hendricks had another uncharacteristically inefficient outing Thursday against St. Louis, needing 113 pitches to get through 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision. The 28-year-old has recorded only one quality start in his last six outings. Hendricks is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks, but he hasn’t faced them since 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rizzo is 16-for-31 with six RBIs in nine games since moving to the leadoff spot.
2. Goldschmidt has reached base in 23 consecutive road contests.
3. Arizona ranks second in the majors with 78 first-inning runs and owns a major league-best plus-29 run differential in the opening frame.