JULY 31, 2018 AT
PNC PARK, PITTSBURGH, PA ---
WHEN: 7:05
PM ET, Tuesday, July 31, 2018
WHERE: PNC Park, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Pirates have climbed to the fringes of the
National League playoff race, and they have a chance to put another dent in the
deficit. Winners of 15 of their last 19, the Pirates host the first-place
Chicago Cubs for two critical games starting Tuesday.
The Cubs are clinging to a 1 1/2-game lead over
second-place Milwaukee in the NL Central entering the week, but the Pirates
have clawed within seven games of the lead. Pittsburgh’s Gregory Polanco will
try to keep up his hot streak, as he is 8-for-13 over the past three games. The
Cubs have a 5-4 lead in the season series and took two of three in their
previous trip to Pittsburgh from May 28-30. A couple Cubs will be excited to
face Jameson Taillon for the first time this season as Javier Baez is 6-for-10
with a homer and Anthony Rizzo is 8-for-13 with two homers against the
right-hander.
TV: 7:05
p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs
LH Jon Lester (12-3, 3.06 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jameson Taillon (7-8, 3.73)
After dropping a clunker coming out of the All-Star
break, Lester got back on track last time out when he held Arizona to one run
over six innings. The 34-year-old struck out seven and didn’t issue a walk
after giving up 14 free passes over his previous four outings. Lester is 7-5
with a 3.39 ERA in 15 starts against the Pirates, including a 2-0 mark in three
meetings this season.
Taillon took a tough-luck loss last time out, but he
posted his 11th consecutive start allowing three or fewer earned runs. The
26-year-old held Cleveland to two runs over seven innings in the 4-0 defeat
last Wednesday for his fourth quality start in his past six outings. Taillon is
2-3 with a 5.06 ERA in five starts against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rizzo has
homered in three of his past four games since ending a 25-game drought.
2. Pirates SS
Jordy Mercer is 9-for-25 during an eight-game hitting streak.
3. Cubs INF
David Bote has multiple hits in three of his past five contests.
THE PIRATES...had
the day off yesterday...Have produced the best record in the Major Leagues
(15-4) since 7/8...Won 11 straight games between 7/11-24...Have won 13 of their
last 16 games and have gone 19-11 in their last 30...Have gone 16-9 this month;
tied with the Dodgers for the fourth-best record in all of MLB behind the Red
Sox (19-5), Rockies (16-6) and Athletics (16-8)...Were a season-high nine games
over .500 following the action on 5/17 (26-17)...Were 51-56 after 107 games in
2017 (52-56 after 108). JAMO ON A ROLL:
In his last three starts, Jameson Taillon has surrendered a total of four runs
in 18.1 innings of work... Dating back to June 1, Taillon’s 2.97 ERA in the
seventh-lowest among all National League pitchers (minimum: 60.0ip)...In his 10
starts at PNC Park this season, Taillon has been charged with earned runs or
less nine times.
CENTRAL SUCCESS:
The Bucs have posted a 26-16 record this season against teams from the National
League Central division, which includes eight straight wins and a 16-7 mark at
home...Only once since the N.L. Central formed in 1994 have the Pirates had a
winning record within the division; they went 45-31 in 2013 and also posted a
.500 record in 1997 (24-24).
PIRATES PITCHING:
In their last 20 games, the Bucco pitching staff has posted a 2.75 ERA
(177.0ip/54) and a 15-5 record... In that time, dating back to 7/7,
Pittsburgh’s 2.75 ERA ranks first among all Major League teams.
WANNA BE STARTING
SOMETHING: In the last 16 games, Pittsburgh starting pitchers have crafted
a 2.75 ERA (95.0ip/29er)... Overall this season, the Pirates have posted a
35-19 record when the starting pitchers tosses 6.0 innings or more.
BULLISH PEN:
Since Pittsburgh’s 17-5 loss to the Phillies on 7/6, the Bucco bullpen has
posted a 2.45 ERA (58.2ip/16er) in 19 games, which includes 9.0 scoreless
frames over the last three games...The pen’s ERA since 7/7 ranks first among
National League teams and second among all Major League teams behind Oakland
(2.17).
PREDICTION: Cubs
5, Pirates 3
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