Game Thirty-Six: Cubs (27-8) vs. Pirates (18-17)
- Game Time – 1:20pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 186, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jon Lester (4-1, 1.96/1.02/3.39) vs. Gerrit Cole (3-3, 3.78/1.35/3.11)
The Cubs homestand and series against the Pirates comes to an end this afternoon with Jon Lester on the hill. The Cubs are 7-2 on the 10-game stay at Wrigley with one game remaining with the Pirates. After taking the first two from the Battlin’ Bucs, the Cubs look to complete the sweep today.
The Pirates are not happy with the way the first five games of the season against the Cubs have gone. Clint Hurdle is giving the ball to Gerrit Cole today, the Pirates top starting pitcher on the big league team. The Cubs should see the best Cole has to offer, that is if Hurdle doesn’t order him to throw at Joe Maddon’s team early and often. Today’s game could get rather heated based on the Pirates ridiculous comments following Saturday’s loss to the Cubs.
Joe Maddon is running out his best defensive team this afternoon. David Ross is behind the plate. Javier Baez is at third with Kris Bryant in left field.
Today all starts with Jon Lester …
Jon Lester was effective his last time out and put his team in position to win the game. The Cubs beat the Padres 8-7 on a night Lester completed six innings and gave up three runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Lester was off but still posted a quality start.
Lester has not been able to put batters away in each of his last two starts. Lester is allowing the other team to run up his pitch count which has shortened each outing. Lester is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Lester has given up three runs on 12 hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
The Cubs are 6-1 in Lester’s seven starts this season.
Jon Lester kept the Pirates off the board for 5 2/3 innings on May 4. Lester gave up eight hits and walked two batters. Lester pitched out of bases loaded jams and had better stuff than he recognized at PNC Park.
Lester is 3-2 in five career starts against the Pirates with a 1.56 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.
Pirates Career Numbers against Jon Lester
- Sean Rodriguez: 10-for-41 with three doubles, two home runs and four walks
- Francisco Cervelli: 4-for-18 with one walk
- Andrew McCutchen: 2-for-16
- David Freese: 5-for-15 with one double
- Josh Harrison: 4-for-14
- Starling Marte: 3-for-12 with one double and one walk
- Matt Joyce: 4-for-11 with two home runs and one walk
- Chris Stewart: 3-for-7 with one home run and two walks
- Jordy Mercer: 2-for-6 with one double
- Gregory Polanco: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Gerrit Cole: 2-for-3
- Jung Ho Kang: 2-for-4
The Cubs get another shot at Gerrit Cole this afternoon. Cole struggled against the Cubs back on May 2. The Cubs ran up his pitch count and knocked him out of the game with two outs in the fifth inning. The Cubs scored six runs, five earned, on six hits with four walks. Cole struck out six batters in 4 2/3 innings.
Cole was a lot better against the Cardinals his last time out than he was in his start versus the Cubs. Cole gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Over his last two starts, Cole is 1-1 with a 5.91 ERA and 1.69 WHIP.
Before the start on May 2, Cole owned the Cubs in the regular season. Cole is 7-2 in 10 career starts versus the Cubs with a 3.39 ERA and 1.18 WHIP … at Wrigley Field, Cole is 5-1 in six starts with a 2.68 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Gerrit Cole
- Anthony Rizzo: 8-for-22 with three doubles and two walks
- Dexter Fowler: 7-for-19 with one home run and two walks
- Jason Heyward: 3-for-15 with one double and four walks
- Kris Bryant: 3-for-12 with five walks
- Addison Russell: 3-for-11
- Tommy La Stella: 1-for-11 with one double
- David Ross: 0-for-7
- Jorge Soler: 2-for-7
- Javier Baez: 1-for-6 with one home run
- Tim Federowicz: 0-for-4
- Jon Lester: 0-for-4
- Ben Zobrist: 1-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …