Game One Hundred Twenty-Nine: Cubs (73-55) vs. Dodgers (72-56)
- Game Time – 7:08pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: ESPN Sunday Night Baseball – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 187, 844
- Location – Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Jake Arrieta (16-6, 2.22/0.98/2.57) vs. Alex Wood (9-8, 3.70/1.41/3.57)
The Cubs week-long stay on the West Coast comes to an end tonight in primetime as Jake Arrieta looks to snap the skid and salvage a game at Dodger Stadium. The Cubs are 1-4 in the first five games to San Francisco and Los Angeles. And tonight is the final regular season game with the Dodgers. The Cubs are 2-4 in the first six of the seven-game season series.
Jake Arrieta is 7-1 following a loss this season and he will have to keep the Dodgers off the board while the offense gets on track against lefty Alex Wood.
Expect to a right-handed heavy lineup tonight. Joe Maddon should only include Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero in his starting eight. Right handers have hit .296/.366/.369 against Wood this year while left handers have managed only a .233/.259/.279 slash line.
Tonight all starts with Jake Arrieta …
The six-game road trip to the West Coast started with Jake Arrieta on the hill in San Francisco. Arrieta was excellent for five innings as the Cubs built a big lead against Matt Cain. Issues in the sixth shortened his outing after he allowed one unearned run on four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. The Cubs beat the Giants 8-5 in a game that got rather too close for comfort in the end.
Joe Maddon could use at least seven innings from Arrieta tonight as the Cubs look to finish the weekend in Los Angeles with a win. Arrieta is 5-0 in his last five starts with a 0.54 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. Arrieta has allowed four runs, two earned, on 19 hits with nine walks and 31 strikeouts in his last 33 1/3 innings.
Arrieta has been very good on the road this year. In 14 starts outside of Wrigley, Arrieta is 10-1 with a 1.94 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. Arrieta missed the Dodgers at Wrigley in June. Arrieta is 0-2 in two career starts versus the Dodgers with a 9.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP. Arrieta has not faced the Dodgers since the 2013 season. Arrieta is not the same pitcher he was prior to the trade. Arrieta lost to the Dodgers in what was his final start with the Orioles at Camden Yards on April 21, 2013. And he took the loss at Dodger Stadium in what was his fourth start with the Cubs on Aug. 26, 2013.
Dodgers Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Adrian Gonzalez: 5-for-15 with one double, one home run and one walk
- Carl Crawford: 5-for-11 with two doubles, one home run and two walks
- Jimmy Rollins: 0-for-7 with two walks
- Chase Utley: 0-for-6
- A.J. Ellis: 0-for-3 with two walks
- Andre Ethier: 1-for-4 with one double and one walk
- Alex Wood: 1-for-2
The Cubs get their first look at Alex Wood in a Dodgers’ uniform tonight. Andrew Friedman acquired Wood from the Braves on July 30 as part of the three team trade with the Marlins. Wood has been serviceable for the Dodgers over his last five starts. Wood is 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Wood is coming off a solid outing against the Reds. Wood picked up the win after allowing one run on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings
Alex Wood makes his second career start and fifth appearance against the Cubs tonight. Wood is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. In eight innings, Wood has allowed four runs on eight hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.
Cubs Career Numbers against Alex Wood
- Chris Denorfia: 4-for-5 with one walk
- Dexter Fowler: 1-for-4 with one double and two walks
- Starlin Castro: 2-for-4
- Chris Coghlan: 2-for-3 with one double and one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-4 with one double
- Jake Arrieta: two plate appearances, no official at bat
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …