Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 5, Chi. Cubs 3
Although the Chicago Cubs have played at a high level lately, they haven’t caught much of a break when it comes to dealing with the elements all season. The Cubs, who continue their three-game home set with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday after Friday’s contest was suspended, have won six in a row at home – matching their longest such run since 2008. Chicago will have to wait to extend that streak, though, after rain forced umpires to call the opener in the seventh inning.
Friday’s contest marked the 18th rain delay the Cubs have encountered this season – spanning over 24 hours – although that hasn’t stopped them from going a National League Central-best 22-15 since July 28. The Pirates are stuck in a four-game skid that has left them five games behind St. Louis in the division and two games back of Milwaukee for the second wild card. However, Pittsburgh has a good chance to make up some ground between now and the end of the season as 16 of its final 23 contests – including Friday’s suspended game – will come against teams with losing records.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (3-10, 3.91 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Felix Doubront (3-4, 5.56)
Although he turned in his fifth quality start in six August turns, Liriano wrapped up a winless month with his second straight no-decision following Sunday’s 3-2 setback against Cincinnati. The one-time All-Star, who is only 2-3 in nine outings since the All-Star break despite a 2.78 ERA, allowed two runs in seven frames while tossing a season-high 111 pitches. Liriano spent over a month on the disabled list with a strained oblique after exiting his last turn versus the Cubs on June 10, but is 3-2 with a 2.59 ERA in eight all-time starts against them.
Doubront was strong in his Cubs’ debut last Saturday, collecting his first victory since May 14 after yielding a run on seven hits over seven innings in a 5-1 win over St. Louis. The 26-year-old Venezuelan, who was placed on the DL with a calf strain after he was acquired from Boston at the trade deadline, is expected to remain in the rotation after his successful outing as part of Chicago’s plan to utilize a six-man rotation in September. Doubront went 5-1 with a 4.12 ERA in nine career interleague starts with Boston, but will square off against Pittsburgh for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago RF Jorge Soler became the first player in the majors since Buddy Blair in 1942 with an extra-base hit or RBI in each of his first eight career games.
2. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen has 11 homers against the Cubs since 2011 – only St. Louis’ Matt Holliday has more in that time (16).
3. Pirates 3B Josh Harrison, the NL Player of the Month for August, went 3-for-4 before play was halted on Friday and has multiple hits in six of his last eight games.
PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Cubs 4