Indians at Cubs
After a successful weekend in Cincinnati, the Chicago Cubs will take on the team from the other end of Ohio when they host the Cleveland Indians for a two-game series starting Tuesday. The Cubs and Indians split a two-game series in Cleveland last month in the teams’ first meetings since the 2016 World Series.
The Cubs are 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the tightly-packed National League Central in spite of an inconsistent offense and underperforming pitching rotation. Chicago took three of four at Cincinnati over the weekend, outscoring the Reds 28-7. The Indians sit atop the American League Central despite a losing record (22-23). Cleveland has started 2-4 on its current eight-game road trip, dropping two of three at Detroit and Houston, and has won just one of its last six series.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (3-3, 2.59 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Tyler Chatwood (3-3, 3.14)
Bauer is coming off a dominant outing at Detroit on Wednesday in which he struck out 10 and allowed four hits over eight scoreless innings. The 27-year-old has put together quality starts in seven of his nine outings this season and has allowed more than two earned runs only twice. Bauer is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA in two regular-season starts against the Cubs.
Chatwood has won his last three decisions, including a win at Cleveland on April 24 in which he allowed one run over six-plus innings. The 28-year-old didn’t factor in the decision last time out despite allowing one run and four hits over 5 1/3 frames at Atlanta. Chatwood is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians OF Michael Brantley is 15-for-43 with four homers and 12 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak, and OF Tyler Naquin is 10-for-24 during an eight-game streak.
2. The Cubs have hit 26 home runs in 18 games this month, including nine contests with two or more blasts.
3. Cubs INF/OF Ian Happ drew nine walks in the four-game series at Cincinnati after being walked nine times in his first 35 games of the season.