Game One Hundred Thirty: Cubs (74-55) vs. Reds (53-76)
- Game Time – 7:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 185, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 4.11/1.23/3.50) vs. Michael Lorenzen (3-8, 5.46/1.65/5.75)
The Cubs return to Wrigley and open a six-game homestand with the first of three against the Reds. The Diamondbacks make their annual trip to Chicago for a three-game weekend series that starts Friday afternoon. These are must-win games for the Cubs. A team in the mix for a spot in the playoffs cannot lose series at home late in the season to sub-.500 teams.
The Reds are struggling, mainly due to the inexperience in their starting rotation. The Cubs took the Reds lightly last month at Great American Ball Park and escaped Cincinnati with a split of the four-game series. The Cubs are 9-4 versus the Reds this season with six games left to play. The Cubs travel to Cincinnati for a three-game series (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) before the final series of the regular season at Miller Park.
The pitching match-ups for the next three days favor the Reds due to the struggles the Cubs have had with them this season. Kyle Hendricks takes on Michael Lorenzen tonight. Dan Haren and Anthony DeSclafani square off Tuesday night and the series wraps up Wednesday afternoon with Jason Hammel facing Raisel Iglesias.
Quality starts from Hendricks, Haren and Hammel over the next three days would help quiet concerns about the Cubs’ rotation behind Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester.
Joe Maddon will run out his left-handed lineup tonight. Lefties have hit .329/.446/.486 against Lorenzen this season while righties have managed a .240/.328/.373 line in the majors.
Tonight all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
Kyle Hendricks has really struggled since the break. When it appears he has figured things out and is ready to put together more consistent outings, Hendricks takes a couple of steps back. And that is what happened in San Francisco. Hendricks had a solid start against the Braves and gave him something to build on. But after being staked to a two-run lead before he threw a pitch, Hendricks gave up two runs in the first and took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts in six innings.
Kyle Hendricks is 2-2 in his last eight starts with a 5.40 ERA and 1.48 WHIP.
Tonight is Hendricks’ 12th start of the season at Wrigley. Hendricks is 2-2 in the first 11 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. And he takes on the Reds for the third time on the year.
Kyle Hendricks is 0-1 in two starts versus the Redlegs this season with a 4.91 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Hendricks has allowed six runs on 11 hits with two walks and 16 strikeouts in 11 innings.
Reds Numbers against Kyle Hendricks in 2015
- Tucker Barnhart: 1-for-4 with one walk
- Todd Frazier: 2-for-5 with two doubles
- Skip Schumaker: 1-for-5
- Eugenio Suarez: 1-for-5 with one double
- Joey Votto: 2-for-4 with two home runs and one walk
- Jason Bourgeois: 1-for-3
- Brandon Phillips: 1-for-3
- Jay Bruce: 0-for-2
Michael Lorenzen was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to make his third start of the season against the Cubs. Lorenzen was sent out after his horrible outing against the Padres on Aug. 11 when he allowed seven runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Lorenzen has good stuff, but like so many young pitchers he has not put it together on a consistent basis. Once he does, Lorenzen will have a lot of success in the majors for many years.
In his last two starts in the majors, Lorenzen was 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA and 2.68 WHIP … and since the break, Lorenzen is 0-4 in five starts with a 12.57 ERA and 2.33 WHIP.
Michael Lorenzen is 2-4 in nine appearances, eight starts, on the road in the big leagues this season with a 6.21 ERA and 1.91 WHIP. And he is 0-1 in two starts against the Cubs this year with an 8.68 ERA and 1.93 WHIP. Lorenzen received a no-decision in a Reds 5-4 win over the Cubs on July 20 at Great American Ball Park. The Cubs beat him on June 11 at Wrigley 6-3 after putting up six runs, five earned, on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Cubs Numbers against Michael Lorenzen in 2015
- Kris Bryant: 2-for-5 with two doubles and one walk
- Dexter Fowler: 3-for-5 with one home run and one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-3 with one double and one walk
- Chris Coghlan: 0-for-5
- Starlin Castro: 0-for-4
- Addison Russell: 3-for-4
- Miguel Montero: 1-for-2 with one home run and one walk
- Kyle Schwarber: 1-for-2 with one walk
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …