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I hate to keep belaboring the weather forecast, but it doesn't look good again tonight. As they did last night, they will almost certainly do everything they can to get this one in, considering they've already had two rainouts and the opportunities to make this one up are limited. After tonight the Cubs and Reds don't play until a three-game set at Wrigley that begins August 31.
Then there's the matter of ESPN... they don't have any other game to show tonight, so there's likely some pressure from TV as well. You might not think that matters, but it probably does.
This article notes that May 2015 was the wettest month in U.S. history. Given what we've seen here (and in other areas of the U.S.) so far in June, we might be in for another record month of rainfall.
Jon Lester hit, or lack thereof, watch:
Career: 0-for-61 (68 PA), 35 strikeouts (struck out in 57.4 percent of AB)
2015: 0-for-25, 13 strikeouts (struck out in 52 percent of AB)
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Rizzo 1B, Bryant 3B, Coghlan LF, Castro SS, Baxter RF, Ross C, Lester P, Russell 2B
Reds lineup:
Phillips 2B, Votto 1B, Frazier 3B, Bruce RF, Pena C, Suarez SS, Negron LF, DeSclafani P, Hamilton CF
Today's Starting Pitchers |
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Jon Lester has made two starts against the Reds this year. This one, April 13 at Wrigley, was not so good. He got hit hard. This one, April 24 at Cincinnati, was better -- he set a season high in strikeouts (10). The Cubs won both games and overall are 6-6 in games Lester has started. He's not off to a good start in June (10.61 ERA, 2.25 WHIP in two starts) so it's time to right the ship, I'd think.
Anthony DeSclafani has also made two starts against his opponent tonight. He's combined for 12 innings against the Cubs in the two starts, with just one earned run -- but the Cubs scored four unearned runs off him April 26 in Cincinnati, taking advantage of two Reds errors. Miguel Montero homered off DeSclafani that afternoon.
Today's game is on ESPN.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
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.