Pirates at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs scored late to win the first game before putting up seven runs in the opening inning of the second and will go after a three-game sweep of the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon. Catcher Willson Contreras belted a three-run homer to highlight the big first inning Saturday for the Cubs, who cruised home for a 10-4 victory to secure first place in the tight National League Central.
Javier Baez had a double and a single in the latest victory to extend his hitting streak to eight games for Chicago and teammate Jason Heyward is 5-for-9 in the series and has 10 hits in 24 at-bats with four walks against Pittsburgh this year. Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana hopes to continue his success in the season series after going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts and the Pirates will counter with righty Trevor Williams, who beat Chicago to start the month. Pittsburgh went into the All-Star break with eight wins in its last 12 contests, but gave up the winning run in the eighth inning on Friday after rallying to tie and could not survive the early onslaught Saturday. Center fielder Starling Marte has launched three homers while knocking in five runs in the series for the Pirates and produced multiple hits in five of his last 10 contests.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Trevor Williams (3-2, 4.54 ERA) vs. LH Jose Quintana (6-7, 4.19)
Williams earned a victory last time out on July 1 despite allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings as the Pirates routed the Cubs 18-5. The 27-year-old Arizona State product has served up six homers in his last four starts after giving up just three in his first eight outings this season. Kyle Schwarber is 6-for-17 with two homers versus Williams, who is 2-3 with a 3.92 ERA in five appearances (four starts) in his career at Wrigley Field.
Quintana won his last two starts before the break, shutting out Cincinnati over six innings on June 29 and limiting the Pirates to three runs over seven frames on July 4. The 30-year-old Colombian had gone nine straight starts without a victory before beating the Reds, and also blanked Pittsburgh over seven innings in a win on April 11. Kevin Newman is 3-for-6 against Quintana, who is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA in seven career games versus the Pirates.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell, who leads the majors with 84 RBIs, had two hits Saturday after going 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts in his previous three games.
2. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo is 8-for-19 with four runs scored and four walks during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle needs one victory to match Chuck Tanner (711) for fourth on the franchise’s all-time list.