Sunday notes…
- GOING FOR THE SWEEP: This is the 15th of the Cubs’ 49 series in which they have won the first two games. They are 7-7 in series which had a third game: 6-1 at home, 1-6 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- CUBS vs. BUCS: This is the first time in the Cubs’ last seven series at home against the Pirates that they have won the first two games. Before this weekend, the Cubs were 9-11 when hosting the Pirates since Sept. 19, 2023. Before that, they had gone 31-10 since June 8, 2018, sweeping six series, one of four games. The last sweep was June 15, 2023, by scores of 11-3, 10-6 and 7-2. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- THE IMPORTANCE OF SCORING FIRST: The Cubs are 51-22 when they have scored first, including 26-8 at home. They are 72-23 when they have scored at least four runs, 70-33 when they have made at least seven hits, 70-38 when they have hit at least one home run and 72-41 when they have earned at least three walks. They did all of those things yesterday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs trail the Brewers 10-8 going to the ninth. Sammy Sosa homers, his 62nd, to make it 10-9 and after a double by Henry Rodriguez, Gary Gaetti singles in pinch-runner Jason Maxwell to tie the game. With two out in the bottom of the 10th, Mark Grace hits a walk-off homer for an 11-10 victory. It happened 28 years ago today, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1998.
Cubs lineup:
Pirates lineup:
Matthew Boyd, LHP vs. Bubba Chandler, RHP
Matthew Boyd had a bit of a rough patch in August, but has thrown well in two September starts, both of which were against the Brewers. The numbers aren’t great for September — 4.38 ERA, 1.216 WHIP — but both of those starts include runs charged to him after he left the game.
He faced the Pirates July
24 at PNC Park and allowed one run in seven innings. Do that again, Matthew.
Bubba Chandler has had an up-and-down year in his first full MLB season.
He’s been much better in the second half. First half: 19 games (18 starts), 4.77 ERA, 1.452 WHIP. Since the All-Star break: nine starts, 3.21 ERA, 1.112 WHIP. Much of the improvement has been cutting way down on walks. He had 55 walks in 94.1 innings before the ASB. Since then, in 47.2 innings — just about half what he had before — he’s walked just 15.
His only start against the Cubs this year was May 27 at Wrigley Field. He allowed eight hits and four runs in five innings.
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Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.
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Baseball-reference.com game preview
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