Cubs at Diamondbacks
The Chicago Cubs haven’t lost any of their last five series, and they’re counting on Jose Quintana to help ensure they keep alive the streak. Quintana will seek his fourth straight quality start when the Cubs visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series.
The Cubs evened the series and snapped Arizona’s five-game winning streak with a 9-1 victory on Saturday. David Bote blasted a pair of home runs and Anthony Rizzo also went deep for the Chicago, which hasn’t lost a series since dropping two of three at Milwaukee from April 5-7. Arizona has dropped only three of its last 13 contests, with all three coming against Chicago. The Cubs' pitching staff has had the Diamondbacks’ number, holding them to one run three times in five meetings.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jose Quintana (3-1, 3.21 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Luke Weaver (2-1, 3.33)
Quintana has won three straight starts, going seven innings in each. The 30-year-old gave up two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Quintana is 0-2 with a 9.98 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks.
Weaver has picked up the win in each of his last two outings and posted quality starts in two of his last three turns. The 25-year-old held Pittsburgh to one run over 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts on Tuesday. Weaver is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs SS Javier Baez is 11-for-22 with three homers and six RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.
2. Arizona’s bullpen combined for 24 consecutive scoreless innings before the Cubs got to RHP Matt Koch for four runs on Saturday.
3. Chicago MGR Joe Maddon collected his 400th regular-season win with the Cubs on Saturday, needing the fewest amount of games to reach the milestone since Joe Torre with the Yankees from 1996-99.