Cubs at Giants
The San Francisco Giants are making things difficult for their front office as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, as they've gone on a tear this month and find themselves in the thick of the National League wild-card race. The Giants attempt to continue their surge and complete a three-game sweep when they host the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon for the finale of their three-game series.
Pablo Sandoval belted a one-out solo homer in the 13th inning on Tuesday as San Francisco posted a second straight 5-4 triumph for its 11th win in 13 games since the All-Star break. Alex Dickerson went deep for the second time in three contests and Kevin Pillar drove in two runs for the Giants, who improved to 16-3 this month and sit two games behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. Kris Bryant went 3-for-6 with two RBIs for the Cubs, who battled back from a 4-2 deficit on Tuesday to force extra innings before suffering their third straight loss and watching their lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central shrink to one-half game. Bryant has gone 6-for-17 during his four-game hitting streak while Javier Baez has hit safely in 15 of his 17 contests this month.
TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-6, 3.87 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tyler Beede (3-3, 4.70)
Lester extended his unbeaten streak to three starts on Friday as he escaped with a no-decision against San Diego after yielding four runs and a season-high 12 hits in six innings. The 35-year-old Washingtonian, who has not issued a walk over 12 2/3 frames in his last two outings, had allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his previous five turns. Lester has been superb against San Francisco in his career, going 5-1 with a personal-best three complete games and a 2.00 ERA in six starts.
Beede is coming off the best start of his brief career, a no-decision against the New York Mets on Friday in which he scattered three hits over eight scoreless innings. After a three-start stretch during which he issued 11 walks over 15 1/3 frames, the 26-year-old native of Massachusetts has handed out just one free pass over 21 2/3 innings in his last three turns. Beede, who never has faced Chicago, has yet to win at home this year despite posting a 3.10 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs purchased the contract of LHP Tim Collins from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Alec Mills to the Pacific Coast League affiliate.
2. San Francisco sent RHP Nick Vincent (chest) to Triple-A Sacramento for a rehab assignment.
3. Chicago LHP Cole Hamels (oblique) allowed one hit with two strikeouts and three walks over 2 1/3 innings on Tuesday, throwing 17 of his 35 pitches for strikes in his rehab start for Iowa.