Game One Hundred Twenty-Five: Cubs (73-51) vs. Giants (66-59)
- Game Time – 9:15pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet, ESPN – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 183, 844
- Location – AT & T Park, San Francisco
Kyle Hendricks (6-5, 4.03/1.23/3.45) vs. Jake Peavy (3-6, 4.35/1.29/4.03)
The Cubs look for two in a row over the Giants and seven straight behind Kyle Hendricks tonight. Joe Maddon could really use a six-plus inning start from Hendricks in order to give his bullpen the breather it did not receive last night.
Maddon should resist the urge to run out a left-handed heavy lineup with Jake Peavy on the hill. Right handers (.289/.331/.365) have had a little more success against Peavy this season than lefties (.233/.301/.398). Addison Russell is expected back in the starting eight tonight. Will Maddon keep Starlin Castro in the lineup? Or will Russell be paired with Tommy La Stella up the middle for the first time?
Tonight all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
Kyle Hendricks showed improvement in his last outing. Hendricks completed five innings against the Braves and allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk. Hendricks had better command than in previous outings. Hendricks struck out seven batters, his highest strikeout total since he punched out nine Reds on July 22.
Kyle Hendricks is 2-1 in his last seven starts with a 5.30 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Hendricks has allowed 23 runs, 22 earned, on 42 hits with 14 walks and 39 strikeouts in his last 37 1/3 innings.
The road has not been as kind to Hendricks as Wrigley Field has been this season. Hendricks is 4-3 in 13 starts outside of Wrigley with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.
Kyle Hendricks picked up the win in an 8-6 victory over the Giants backs on Aug. 8. Hendricks allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Hendricks faces the Giants for the second time in his career tonight.
Giants Career Numbers against Kyle Hendricks
- Nori Aoki: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Matt Duffy: 0-for-3
- Buster Posey: 1-for-3
- Ehire Adrianza: 0-for-2
- Brandon Belt: 1-for-2 with one home run
- Brandon Crawford: 1-for-2 with a double
Jake Peavy loves pitching against the Cubs and always seems to save his best for the team he was almost traded to in 2008. After running up his pitch count early at Wrigley back on Aug. 9, Peavy settled in and kept the Cubs off the board for the last three-plus innings of his outing. Peavy has struggled in back-to-back outings will be on the top of his game tonight against the Cubs … and it will be interesting to watch the interaction between him and Kyle Schwarber.
Jake Peavy lasted six innings against the Pirates and gave up four runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Peavy is 1-2 in his last four starts with a 4.76 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Jake Peavy’s home-road splits are relatively close. Peavy is 2-2 in five starts at AT & T Park this season with a 4.13 ERA and 1.31 WHIP compared to a 1-4 mark in six road starts with a 4.54 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Peavy has allowed 14 runs, 13 earned, on 32 hits with five walks and 14 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings at home this season.
Jake Peavy is 8-6 in 17 career starts against the Cubs with a 2.81 ERA and 1.21 WHIP after taking the loss on Aug. 9. Peavy allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in five innings to the Cubs.
Cubs Career Numbers against Jake Peavy
- Miguel Montero: 6-for-25 with two doubles, one home run and four walks
- Starlin Castro: 5-for-18 with one walk
- Chris Coghlan: 4-for-13 with one walk
- David Ross: 1-for-12 with two walks
- Anthony Rizzo: 3-for-11 with one triple
- Jonathan Herrera: 2-for-4
- Dexter Fowler: 0-for-3
- Tommy La Stella: 0-for-3
- Kyle Schwarber: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-1 with one walk
- Addison Russell: 0-for-1
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …