Game Ninety-Two – Cubs (39-52) vs. Braves (50-42)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 183, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jake Arrieta (5-1, 1.78/1.02/2.05) vs. Alex Wood (6-7, 3.14/1.18/3.46)
After finishing one of the longest road trips in recent memory with a 5-6 record in the 11 games that were played on the field, the Cubs open a three-game series against the Braves at Wrigley in the last set of games before the All-Star break.
Quite a bit has changed since the last time the Cubs played a game at the old ballyard on June 28. The Cubs will look to finish what is called the first half of the season on a positive note. The Cubs have played good ball, for the most part, at home this season (19-20) and will look to figure out a way to beat another team that has had their number in recent years.
The Braves swept the three games with the Cubs at Turner Field in May and enter play this afternoon tied atop the NL East with the Washington Nationals.
After today’s matchup of Jake Arrieta and lefty Alex Wood, Edwin Jackson is scheduled to face another lefty in Mike Minor on Saturday afternoon. Travis Wood is expected to wrap up the series Sunday afternoon against Julio Teheran.
The Cubs will celebrate the decade of the 1960s this weekend with the two teams wearing throwback uniforms in Sunday’s finale. The Cubs will honor the ’69 team Sunday with in the teams fifth Throwback Sunday of the season.
The Cubs decided to keep Arismendy Alcantara on the big league roster for at least the next three games. With Darwin Barney back from paternity leave, will Alcantara play centerfield for the next three days or will he continue to lineup at second base?
Rick Renteria should run out a balanced lineup this afternoon against Alex Wood. Lefties are hitting .275/.327/.364 against him this season while right handers have hit .238/.284/.345.
Today all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta was shortened up in his last outing against the Nationals after throwing a career-high 120 pitches the start before in Boston. Arrieta gave up one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings to the Nationals. Arrieta received a no decision in what ended up being his shortest start since June 8.
Jake Arrieta has obviously been very good of late and has taken over the top spot in the Cubs rotation. The Cubs will turn to their new number one this afternoon to snap their seven-game skid.
Today is Arrieta’s fifth start of the year at Wrigley Field. Arrieta is 1-0 in four home starts with a 1.17 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Arrieta has allowed three runs on 17 hits with five walks and 25 strikeouts in 23 innings. Arrieta missed the Braves in Atlanta in early May and makes his second career start against the Braves today.
The only start Jake Arrieta has made against the Braves was on July 2, 2011. Arrieta gave up five runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in five innings.
Braves Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
Alex Wood is having a good season. The southpaw is coming off a loss in Arizona in which he allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts in seven innings. Wood has pitched 11 games out of the pen but has made three straight starts. Wood has allowed five runs on12 hits over his last 20 innings (three starts) with five walks and 13 strikeouts.
Alex Wood was 2-1 in six games, two starts, last month with a 2.55 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP and he is 3-3 in 11 games, five starts, on the road this year with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Wood makes the first start of his career against the Cubs this afternoon.
Alex Wood has faced the Cubs for a grand total of 2 2/3 innings. Wood has not allowed a run while giving up three hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Cubs Career Numbers against Alex Wood
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …