Game Seven: Cubs (2-4) vs. Pirates (4-2)
- Game Time – 7:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 185, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Edwin Jackson (0-0, 1.69/1.13/4.04) vs. Charlie Morton (0-0, 0.00/0.83/2.10)
The Cubs season resumes tonight with the first of three against the Pirates. The first night game of the year at Wrigley Field features a rematch from the second game of the season that ended up going 16 innings. The Pirates took two of three from the Cubs last week in Pittsburgh and the Pirates will look to build on a solid start to the year over the next three days. The Pirates enter play tonight tied for first in the NL Central with the Brewers while the Cubs have a half game edge on the Reds for fourth place in the division.
After tonight’s matchup of Edwin Jackson and Charlie Morton, Jason Hammel and Wandy Rodriguez square off on Wednesday night. Travis Wood is scheduled to face Gerrit Cole in the finale on Thursday afternoon.
Look for Rick Renteria to fill his lineup with as many lefties as possible tonight. Left handed hitters hit .312/.425/.338 against Charlie Morton last season while right handers managed a .250/.314/.305 line. Morton has struggled against lefties through his career (.327/.409/.423) but has done his job against right handed hitters (.250/.314/.305).
Tonight it all starts with Edwin Jackson …
Edwin Jackson makes his second start of the season tonight. Jackson was okay in his last outing but the four walks he issued kept him from completing six innings. Jackson was signed to eat innings and he really has to start limiting his walks so he can go deeper in the game. Jackson gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits with four walks. a HBP and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings to the Pirates the first time out.
After struggling at his new home park early last season, Jackson ended up posting a 4-8 record in 13 starts with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP at Wrigley. From July 11 through the end of the year, Jackson recorded a quality start in in four of his last five games at Wrigley Field.
Jackson owns a 6-2 record in 11 career starts against the Pirates with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.
Pirates Career Numbers against Edwin Jackson
- Andrew McCutchen: 8-for-21 with two doubles, two home runs and five walks
- Neil Walker: 3-for-17 with one double and three walks
- Russell Martin: 2-for-17 with one walk
- Pedro Alvarez: 2-for-17 with one home run
- Clint Barmes: 4-for-16
- Starling Marte: 5-for-12 with one walk
- Jose Tabata: 0-for-7 with one walk
- Travis Ishikawa: 2-for-7 with one double and one walk
- Charlie Morton: 0-for-6
- Gaby Sanchez: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Jordy Mercer: 1-for-4
- Josh Harrison: 1-for-3 with one double
Charlie Morton was very good against the Cubs’ offense the first time out this season. Morton allowed just four hits over six shutout innings with one walk and six strikeouts. The Cubs made it easy on Morton and will hopefully have a new game plan in place for him tonight.
For as good as Morton was a year ago, he did struggle a little on the road. Morton was 5-2 in 11 starts with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.
Charlie Morton is 2-4 in 10 career starts against the Cubs with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP … at Wrigley Field, 1-3 in five career starts with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Charlie Morton
- Nate Schierholtz: 6-for-18 with one double, one triple and one walk
- Starlin Castro: 6-for-18
- Darwin Barney: 1-for-10 with one walk
- Emilio Bonifacio: 4-for-12
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-10 with one double and one walk
- Luis Valbuena: 3-for-11 with one walk
- Edwin Jackson: 2-for-8
- John Baker: 3-for-8 with two doubles
- Ryan Sweeney: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Welington Castillo: 2-for-4 with one double and one walk
- Ryan Kalish: 0-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …