Chicago Cubs (29-22) at Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park, Pittsburgh | 1:35 PM ET / 12:35 PM CT
The Chicago Cubs (29–22 after finally ending the losing streak) travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates at PNC Park for the series opener. We’re coming off a BRUTAL stretch where we lost 10 of 12 games including getting SWEPT by the Brewers (moved us to SECOND PLACE) and nearly swept by the Astros! Ben Brown starts for us trying to build on ending the skid!
This is the series opener—can we start building momentum on the road?
Cubs Season: 29-22, Finally Ended the Losing Streak!
Record: 29-22 (Seven Games Over .500, SECOND PLACE in NL Central)
We’re 29–22 and seven games over .500 in SECOND PLACE (1 game behind Milwaukee) after FINALLY ending our brutal stretch! We lost 10 of 12 games including getting SWEPT by the Brewers (19-5 aggregate!) and nearly swept by the Astros before finally avoiding the sweep in the series finale!
Recent Struggles:
- SWEPT by Brewers 3-0 (moved to SECOND PLACE)
- Down 0-2 vs Astros (avoided sweep in Game 3)
- Scored only 7 runs in last 5 games before finale
- Lost 10 of 12 games overall
Key Stats:
- 52 home runs (6th in MLB)
- .248 batting average
- 29-22 record (SECOND PLACE, 1 game back)
- Need to bounce back on the road!
Ben Brown Today:
- Strong young starter
- Need him to give us length and quality
- Fresh start in Pittsburgh
We need a fresh start on the road after that brutal homestand!
Pittsburgh Pirates: Playing Better Baseball Lately
Record: Recent Momentum, Playing at Home
The Pirates are playing BETTER baseball lately according to reports. They have better recent momentum and stronger overall team production heading into this series. They’re playing at PNC Park where they’ve been solid this season!
Pirates Strengths:
- Better batting average than us lately
- Better ERA recently
- Playing at home at PNC Park
- Momentum on their side
What We’re Facing:
- Pirates have momentum
- Playing at PNC Park
- We’re coming off brutal stretch
- Fresh start needed
The Pirates are playing well but we need to bounce back!
Key Matchups at PNC Park
Ben Brown vs Pirates Lineup
Brown needs to give us a quality start! The Pirates have been hitting well lately. Keep them down!
Cubs Offense (Only 7 runs in last 5 before finale!) vs Pirates
We scored only 7 runs in our last 5 games before the finale! TIME TO HIT on the road!
Fresh Start on the Road
Lost 10 of 12 at one point. SWEPT by Brewers at home. Nearly swept by Astros. Fresh start in Pittsburgh!
Stay in NL Central Race
29-22, SECOND PLACE, 1 game back. Win today and stay in the race!
What the Cubs Need at PNC Park
Ben Brown Gives Us Quality
Brown needs to give us 6 quality innings and keep the Pirates down!
OFFENSE WAKES UP
Scored only 7 runs in 5 games during the losing streak! TIME TO HIT!
Play Clean Defense
Errors hurt us during the losing streak. Play clean at PNC Park!
Start Building Momentum
Lost 10 of 12. Fresh start on the road. Win the series opener!
Cubs Fan Prediction: We Start Fresh!
Final Score: Cubs 5, Pirates 3
Ben Brown battles—6 innings, 3 runs. Gives us a quality start on the road!
Our offense FINALLY breaks through! Ian Happ drives in runs. Seiya Suzuki contributes. We score 5!
The Pirates score 3 but we START FRESH and win the series opener!
Two-run win. We’re 30–22, EIGHT GAMES OVER .500. We start building momentum!
Why the Series Opener Matters
We’re 29–22 in SECOND PLACE (1 game back!) after FINALLY ending our brutal stretch! We lost 10 of 12 including getting SWEPT by the Brewers and nearly swept by the Astros! The Pirates have better recent momentum and are playing at home!
Win today and we’re 30–22. Start building momentum on the road!
Can Brown give us quality? Will our offense wake up? Can we start fresh?
We went 78–84 last year. Going 30–22 and bouncing back from the brutal stretch would show RESILIENCE!
Go Cubs Go. Fresh start in Pittsburgh!