Cubs at Pirates
The Chicago Cubs have turned into a disaster away from Wrigley Field, last winning a road series three months ago and now finding excruciating ways to lose. After suffering back-to-back defeats in walk-off fashion the past two days, the Cubs will try to halt a four-game slide when they continue a three-game series at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday afternoon.
One night after falling at Philadelphia on a walk-off grand slam by Bryce Harper, Chicago was victimized by Kevin Newman's two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to add to its National League-worst road record of 23-39. It was the sixth defeat in seven games for the Cubs, who are 0-10-2 in their last 12 road series and now tied with Philadelphia for the second wild card. Tony Kemp had a go-ahead, two-run triple in the eighth inning for Chicago, which had won four in a row against Pittsburgh before their NL-leading 10th blown save since the All-Star break. The Pirates had lost five straight at home and 25 of 31 overall since the All-Star break before an infield single and three walks set the stage for Newman's single that extended his hitting streak to six games.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ABC 7 (Chicago), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-8, 4.43 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Steven Brault (3-1, 4.33)
Lester is not having an August to remember, owning an ERA of 10.93 in three outings this month after permitting three runs and five hits over five innings in a no-decision at Cincinnati on Sunday to remain winless in five starts. He was hammered in his previous outing, getting shelled for 11 runs (nine earned) and 10 hits over four innings in a loss to Oakland. Opposing pitcher Brault is 3-for-3 off Lester, who beat the Pirates with 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball on July 13.
Brault has not factored in the decision in 13 of his 17 appearances and that trend has continued in his two starts since he missed a month with a shoulder issue. The 27-year-old gave up four runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings at St. Louis last time out while allowing two runs and three hits over 5 1/3 frames against Milwaukee in his previous turn. Brault has a 7.53 ERA in 12 appearances versus Chicago and must be wary of Kris Bryant (7-for-12) and Javier Baez (5-for-9).
WALK-OFFS
1. Baez and 1B Anthony Rizzo are each batting above .320 at home but are hitting .250 and .247, respectively, on the road.
2. Pirates closer LHP Felipe Vázquez blew only his second save in 24 chances in the series opener.
3. The Cubs recalled INF Addison Russell from Triple-A Iowa and demoted OF Albert Almora Jr.