The Pittsburgh Pirates will be going for a four-game series sweep of the struggling Chicago Cubs on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
The Cubs, who have lost four straight and seven of nine, got pounded by a combined 23-6 in the first two games of the series. They looked like they might break out of things Wednesday when they led going into the bottom of the ninth inning but lost a heartbreaker 6-5.
Pittsburgh has moved to within two games of the Cubs, who less than a week ago were leading the National League Central. The Pirates have won 10 of their past 13 games.
“Guys just show up to compete every day,” Corey Dickerson, who hit a walk-off sacrifice fly for the second run in the ninth inning on Wednesday, told AT&T Sportsnet.
Chicago was missing a couple regulars Wednesday. Third baseman Kris Bryant sat out because of a sore knee, and right fielder Jason Heyward sat out after he put some stress on his hip making a splashy sliding catch Tuesday.
It’s unclear whether either will play Thursday, but there seems to be a chance that Robel Garcia will be in the lineup after being called up Wednesday. He struck out in a pinch-hitting role in his major league debut. He is capable of playing second or third, or perhaps in the outfield.
For the late afternoon holiday and national TV game Thursday, Chicago left-hander Jose Quintana (5-7, 4.21 ERA) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Jordan Lyles (5-4, 3.71 ERA).
Quintana is coming off a win, which hasn’t happened often lately.
He had a six-game losing streak before Saturday, when he pitched six scoreless innings, giving up six singles and no walks, in a 6-0 win at Cincinnati. It was his first win since May 5.
“I needed an outing like that to get my confidence back,” Quintana said. “My focus was on one pitch at a time. … I had confidence. My stuff worked really good.”
He threw just 50 fastballs, compared with 51 combined curveballs and changeups.
“The big takeaway is to pitch, pitch,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Don’t just rely on your fastball so heavily all the time. Pitch. And I think as he goes further along into his career, as he does that, the fastball’s still going to play up, but these other pitches make it play up even more.”
Quintana is 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh.
Lyles will be making his second start since coming off the injured list (hamstring tightness). He returned Saturday, getting a loss despite a quality start, giving up three runs in six innings in a 3-1 loss at Milwaukee.
“I was very encouraged by his body of work,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I think he got into a good rhythm. He used all his pitches. His fastball, he used it to the four spots.”
Overall, Lyles has lost three straight decisions.
Lyles is 3-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 career games against the Cubs, including 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in seven career starts. In his only time facing them this year, Lyles struck out 10 in six innings and gave up one run in a 5-2 win April 10 at Wrigley Field.