Braves at Cubs
Yu Darvish attempts to halt his struggles at Wrigley Field when he takes the mound for the Chicago Cubs against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Wednesday in the third contest of their four-game series. Darvish has gone 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight home starts this season as he fell to 0-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 12 career outings at the historic ballpark.
Darvish will oppose Dallas Keuchel, who recently signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Braves after teams were unwilling to meet his free-agent demands in the offseason. The teams split the first two games of the series, with Atlanta posting a 3-2 win on Tuesday behind a first-inning homer by Ronald Acuna Jr. and a go-ahead, two-run blast in the seventh by Ozzie Albies. The streaking Braves have won 14 of their last 18 games and are 3-2 midway through their 10-game road trip. Chicago's Willson Contreras drove in both runs on Tuesday with a two-run double and he is 3-for-7 with a homer and five RBIs in the series.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Southeast (Atlanta), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Dallas Keuchel (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Yu Darvish (2-3, 4.75)
Keuchel lost his club debut as he gave up four runs - three earned - and eight hits over five innings against Washington. "When he gets more starts under his belt, the more into the season he gets, he'll be a little more crisp," Atlanta catcher Brian McCann told reporters, referencing Keuchel's first outing. "I thought he threw the ball really well." The 31-year-old Keuchel is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs and has served up a homer to Anthony Rizzo (2-for-5).
Darvish matched the major-league record of 10 straight no-decisions when he gave up four runs and four hits - two homers - in six innings against the New York Mets in his last turn. The 32-year-old native of Japan last was involved in a decision on April 27, when he gave up one run and two hits over six innings while defeating Arizona. Darvish lost to the Braves on April 4, when he gave up three runs and five hits over four innings and is 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in three career outings versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Acuna is batting .320 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs this month.
2. Rizzo has gone just 4-for-24 over his last eight games.
3. Atlanta activated LHP Sean Newcomb, who pitched a scoreless inning on Tuesday, from the 7-day concussion list and optioned RHP Chad Sobotka to Triple-A Gwinnett.