Chicago Cubs vs. Oakland Athletics preview, Wednesday 8/7, 1:20 CT

The Cubs had won eight of the 12 games played against the Athletics all-time in interleague play coming into 2019, or two of every three.

I don’t see any reason that trend shouldn’t continue.

Notes for Wednesday:

• Duane Underwood Jr. tied the franchise record for consecutive strikeouts by a reliever in a single game, previously done by Juan Cruz (March 31, 2003 at Mets) and Bruce Sutter (September 8, 1977 vs. Montreal Expos).
• Ian Happ is 4-for-6 with a double and a homer in his last three games.
• Since reaching a season-high tying 11 games over .500 at 29-18, the Cubs are 0-5 in their last five attempts to get back to 11 games over .500.
• Nicholas Castellanos, career at Wrigley Field (including with Tigers): nine games, .421/.463/.921 (16-for-38) with seven doubles and four home runs.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Athletics lineup:

Jose Quintana, LHP vs. Homer Bailey, RHP

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Quintana is absolutely maddening. (Not “Maddoning.”) Every time you think he’s figured it out, he throws a stinker. And then when you’re wondering when the heck he’s going to throw well, he does, including last Friday against the Brewers (six strong innings, two runs, no walks, five strikeouts).

As I have hoped all year, maybe that’s the start of something good for Jose.

Q faced the A’s twice in 2016, so, as for the other two Cubs who started in this series, he hasn’t faced most of the current Oakland lineup. Robbie Grossman (5-for-20) is the only A’s player with more than a handful of PA against him, though Marcus Semien is 5-for-8 with two doubles.

Homer Bailey! Ol’ buddy! Thought the Cubs wouldn’t see you this year because you were with the Royals, but here you are in one of your favorite ballparks, Wrigley Field!

Actually, Bailey has a pretty good lifetime record at Wrigley: 3.79 ERA, 1.346 WHIP in 10 career starts. The last time he pitched in Wrigley, though (August 26, 2018), the Cubs hit him pretty hard: eight hits and six runs in five innings, and a home run by David Bote. Anthony Rizzo is the Cub who hits him best: 11-for-28 (.393) with four doubles and two home runs.

Bailey has made four starts since coming over from K.C. The three in Oakland have been pretty good (3.38 ERA, no home runs in 18⅔ innings), but the one on the road — well, hopefully that’s a good sign for the Cubs, because the Astros pounded him for nine runs in two innings, including three home runs, July 22 in Houston. He’s been awful in road parks all year: 7.47 ERA in nine starts. Hopefully that continues this afternoon.

Today’s game is on NBC Sports Chicago.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Athletics site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with A’s 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 2019 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used in previous years. Here’s how it works.

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.