This is the 14th series the Cubs have played so far in 2015.
Results of the other 13:
Won: 7 Lost: 4 Split: 2
That's pretty good, for starters. The Cubs can win their eighth series of the year with a victory Sunday afternoon. They didn't win their eighth series of 2014 until July 2, when they swept the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
I like this better. Don't you? More meatloaf!
Not only that, but if the Cubs win and the Royals can complete a sweep of the Cardinals this afternoon, the Cubs would come home just 1½ games out of first place in the N.L. Central. Did someone say recently that the Cardinals are running away with the division?
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Castro SS, Montero C, Soler RF, Coghlan LF, Hammel P, Herrera 2B
Diamondbacks lineup:
Inciarte RF, Pollock CF, Goldschmidt 1B, Peralta LF, Hill 3B, Pacheco C, Owings 2B, Ahmed SS, Hellickson P
Today's Starting Pitchers |
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Starting this one are two pitchers Joe Maddon knows quite well. Jason Hammel pitched for him in Tampa Bay from 2006-08, and Jeremy Hellickson from 2010-14.
Hammel has been very, very good for the Cubs, both last year before he was traded to the Athletics and also so far in 2015. Hammel has been particularly good over his last three starts, throwing 22 innings and allowing just 13 hits and four walks (0.773 WHIP) and posting a 1.23 ERA. For the season he's walked only six in 53⅓ innings. His walk rate of 1.0 per nine innings ranks fourth in the major leagues.
Hellickson has been shaky all year for the D'backs. His WHIP of 1.568 ranks 108th of 110 qualified starters in the major leagues and his 5.52 ERA is 102nd. Essentially, he's having Edwin Jackson's 2014 season. He's managed to throw six innings in only three of his eight starts and the D'backs have lost six of them. He has never faced the Cubs and the only player on the current Cubs roster who has faced him is Chris Coghlan (2-for-5, a triple, a home run).
Sounds like it could be a good day for the Cubs.
Today's game is on WGN. For coverage info in other Midwest markets click here (link opens .pdf).
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit.
The 2015 Game Thread procedure has changed a bit. Here's how it will work going forward.
You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.