Game Thirty-Six – Cubs (12-23) vs. Braves (20-15)
- Game Time – 12:35pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN TV, MLB Network – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 186, 844
- Location – Turner Field, Atlanta
Edwin Jackson (2-2, 4.57/1.45/3.15) vs. Aaron Harang (3-3, 2.98/1.16/2.73)
Happy Mother’s Day!
The Cubs and Braves wrap up the three-game series in Atlanta this afternoon. And the Cubs will turn to Edwin Jackson to salvage the finale. The Cubs are 1-3 on the current nine-game roadtrip.
After winning four of five, the Cubs have lost six of their last seven games because, with one exception, they have stopped scoring runs. The Cubs have been outscored 26-11 in their last six losses and are 2-7 this season in one run games … and 3-14 in games decided by two runs or less.
The offense will try to get on track this afternoon against Aaron Harang. The Braves moved lefty Alex Wood to the bullpen prior to the opener with the Cubs on Friday night. Gavin Floyd was activated from the DL and the Braves have decided to stick with the resurgent Aaron Harang in the rotation. Aaron Harang had an unbelievable April and is having a phenomenal start to his season.
Right handers (.216/.262/.290) and lefties (.232/.328/.279) have hit about the same against Harang this season and throughout his career (.273/.321/.411; .265/.329/.385). The key to Harang has always been to make him work. If the Cubs do not put together good at bats this afternoon, it will be another frustrating day for the offense.
Today all begins with Edwin Jackson …
Edwin Jackson is coming off his best start of the season. Jackson held the White Sox to one run on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Jackson completed seven innings on a night he struck out a season-high nine batters while not issuing a walk for the first time this year.
Edwin Jackson has pitched better over his last four starts and he has pitched to his career averages on the road this year.
Outside of Wrigley Field, Edwin Jackson is 1-1 in three starts with a 4.76 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. And he will face the Braves for the eighth time in his career this afternoon.
Edwin Jackson has never beaten the Braves. Jackson is 0-2 in seven appearances, five starts, with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Jackson lost the only start he made against the Braves last season (0-1 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, three runs, eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks) and he has a no decision in his only career start at The Ted (four runs, three earned, four hits, one walk, seven strikeouts, 5.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP).
Braves Career Numbers against Edwin Jackson
- Jason Heyward: 4-for-14 with one home run and two walks
- Dan Uggla: 1-for-15 with one double and one walk
- Justin Upton: 6-for-11 with two doubles, one home run and one walk
- Freddie Freeman: 7-for-11 with one double, one triple and two home runs
- Ryan Doumit: 0-for-5 with two walks
- B.J. Upton: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Chris Johnson: 0-or-5
- Gerald Laird: 2-for-6
- Jordan Schafer: 0-for-5
- Andrelton Simmons: 1-for-5 with one home run
- Evan Gattis: 0-for-3
- Ramiro Pena: 0-for-2
Aaron Harang has found the fountain of youth in Atlanta this year after he was released by the Indians at the end of Spring Training. Harang signed with the Braves the same day Cleveland let him go and he went 3-2 in his first six starts with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Harang allowed three runs in his first five starts before wearing one for the team on the last day of April. Harang gave up nine runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings to the Marlins with one walk and four strikeouts.
The former number one starter for the Reds struggled again in his last start against the Cardinals and gave up four runs, two earned, on nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six innings.
Aaron Harang has been very, very good at Turner Field (1-2 in four starts with a 1.88 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP) and will make his 28th career start against the Cubs this afternoon.
No one is left on the Cubs from the days of Aaron Harang and Carlos Zambrano dueling it out on Opening Day and throughout the season, well, with the exception of Lester Strode. Harang pitched several very good games against the Cubs during the last decade and is 11-8 in 27 career starts versus the Cubs with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Aaron Harang
- John Baker: 6-for-15 with four doubles and one walk
- Starlin Castro: 5-for-13 with one double and one home run
- Emilio Bonifacio: 3-for-9 with three walks
- Nate Schierholtz: 3-for-12
- Darwin Barney: 2-for-8 with one walk
- Welington Castillo: 0-for-6
- Luis Valbuena: 2-for-6 with two doubles
- Anthony Rizzo: 0-for-3
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …