Chicago @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2016 ) Chi. Cubs 4, Pittsburgh 8
The final week of the regular season has felt a lot like spring training for the Chicago Cubs, who are trying to balance rest versus rust to keep their key players both fresh and sharp for the upcoming playoffs. Already assured of the majors’ best record, the Cubs used 19 players in Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the host Pittsburgh Pirates and likely will do more of the same in the finale of the four-game series on Thursday.
Chicago is 14-4 against the Pirates this season, but it managed only one hit through six innings Wednesday. It was only the second loss in the last nine games for the Cubs, whose 101 wins mark the franchise’s most since it registered 104 in 1910. Officially eliminated from postseason contention, the Pirates have only thing left for which to play - avoiding a losing season. Pittsburgh needs to win three of its last four games to finish at .500 and would have to win all four to wind up with a winning record.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 1.46 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Ivan Nova (12-8, 4.25)
Zastryzny has worked exclusively out of the bullpen since being called up and has been very effective, recording 13 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old has been a starter for most of his minor-league career and went 10-5 with a 4.31 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Zastryzny earned his first big-league win with an inning of relief against the Pirates on Aug. 29.
Nova was 5-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his first eight starts for Pittsburgh after being acquired from the New York Yankees, but he has struggled in his last two starts. The 29-year-old has allowed 11 runs - nine earned - over seven innings in consecutive losses. Nova never has faced the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago CF Dexter Fowler went 0-for-3 on Wednesday and remains two hits shy of 1,000 for his career.
2. Pirates 1B John Jaso was 6-for-42 with 13 strikeouts against the Cubs this season before hitting for the cycle on Wednesday.
3. Cubs OF Chris Coghlan left Wednesday’s game with a mild left ankle sprain after crashing into the left-field wall while attempting to make a catch.
PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Cubs 4