Diamondbacks at Cubs
The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to wrap up a second straight series win on the road when they play the rubber match of a three-game set against the host Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Diamondbacks are 4-1 on their 10-game road trip, which moves to Pittsburgh for four games following the finale in Chicago.
The Diamondbacks snapped Chicago’s four-game winning streak with a 6-0 victory Saturday, as Eduardo Escobar, David Peralta and John Ryan Murphy all homered to back Zack Greinke’s dominant outing. Arizona hopes left-hander Robbie Ray can pick up where Greinke left off and continue baffling a Cubs lineup he has been able to hold at bay over the years. Chicago managed only four hits against Greinke and rookie Taylor Clarke, who pitched three scoreless innings in his big-league debut. Until Saturday it had been the Cubs’ pitching that had been dominant - putting together 31 consecutive scoreless innings before the Diamondbacks broke through in the ninth inning of Friday’s 5-1 Chicago win - and the Cubs will turn to right-hander Tyler Chatwood to try to get things back on track.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (0-1, 4.64 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Tyler Chatwood (0-0, 6.00)
Ray is winless in four starts despite allowing three hits or fewer in each of his first three outings. That’s in large part because the 27-year-old has issued 15 walks in 21 1/3 innings, which has prevented him from pitching deep into games. Ray is 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA in four starts against the Cubs, but he is looking for his first win at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs shuffled to rotation to line up Chatwood’s first start of the season against the Diamondbacks, who have struggled against right-handers. It also allowed the swing man to stretch out a bit more, so he should be able to give Chicago 75 to 80 pitches after starting the season in the bullpen. Chatwood is 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) against Arizona.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs have shut down RHP Brandon Morrow indefinitely after the 34-year-old closer did not recover well after throwing earlier this week.
2. Arizona LF David Peralta went 1-for-5 on Saturday and is 12-for-38 during a 10-game hitting streak.
3. Chicago 3B/OF Kris Bryant is 0-for-9 with four strikeouts against Ray.