The Chicago Cubs will look to punch their ticket to the postseason for the first time in five years when they pursue a three-game series sweep of the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.
The Cubs (87-64) recorded their third straight win and sixth in their past seven outings with a 4-1 victory over the reeling Pirates (65-87) on Tuesday. Chicago's magic number to clinch a playoff berth rests at one.
"We're excited about it. We're ready for it," said Michael Busch, who greeted Pittsburgh phenom Paul Skenes by belting his team-high-tying 29th homer of the season to lead off the game on Tuesday.
Busch added a pair of doubles, and teammate Nico Hoerner also had three hits to highlight the Cubs' 14-hit attack.
While appreciative of his team's late surge, Busch was quick to note that the campaign is far from over.
"We still got a week-and-a-half left of regular-season baseball, but we're excited just about the push," he said.
Busch is 9-for-25 (.360) with three home runs, three doubles and four RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.
"Ball's going far. That's what Michael does when he gets into those modes," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "The ball is in the air, line drives to the wall. (He) hit a great pitch out."
Not to be overshadowed, Hoerner is batting .404 (23-for-57) this month.
"We're getting good offense," Counsell said. "Nico continues to stay hot."
The Pirates, in turn, have been cold, losing 10 of their past 11 games. They have mustered just one run on seven hits in the first two games of the current series and have lost all four series against Chicago this season, going 3-9.
"Offensively, on the whole, just struggling at the plate," Pirates manager Don Kelly said. "We need to find a way to continue to grind those at-bats out and find a way to do what we did when things were going well."
Pittsburgh struck out 12 times on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.05 ERA) will look to fluster the Pirates on Wednesday when he starts against right-hander Johan Oviedo (2-0, 2.81).
Boyd improved to 2-5 in his last seven decisions despite allowing four runs on five hits in five innings of a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
He has pitched well in a pair of outings against Pittsburgh this season, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.45 ERA. Overall, Boyd sports a 1-3 record and a 5.70 ERA in seven career appearances (all starts) vs. the Pirates.
Oviedo settled for his second straight no-decision on Thursday after permitting two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings in his team's 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He yielded three walks for the third straight outing to drive up his pitch count.
Oviedo is 2-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) against the Cubs.
--Field Level Media
