Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Chicago Cubs Preview For Game 38
By Larry Snyder
The Pittsburgh Pirates (17-20) conclude their three-game series with the Chicago Cubs (21-15) Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Bucs are 3-6 against the Boys from the North Side of the Windy City this season.
More from Andrew McCutchen
- MLB Playoffs: Five things the Pirates need to do to qualify in 2018
- Pirates’ Huntington: Cutch trade “unlikely”
- Pirates: Cutch, Stop Being a Diva
- Pirates Preview: Angels in the Outfield
- Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Miami Marlins On Clemente Day 2016 In PR
One of the Pirates that Clint Hurdle can rely on today is Starling Marte. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound outfielder completed Saturday’s meeting going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double. He is hitting .377 with five doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored in his last 19 games against Chicago. Meanwhile, Andrew McCutchen has gone 13-for-38 for a .342 average with four doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored in his last 11 contests.
The Cubs are 8-3 in their last 11 contests and have won their last six in a row. A victory today would give Chicago their first unbeaten streak of at least seven games since 2008. They are hitting .265 with 33 runs, seven home runs, 32 walks, and a .383 on-base percentage during the current win streak.
When: Sunday, May 17
First Pitch: 2:20 p.m. ET
Site: Wrigley Field
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Television Coverage: ROOT Sports Network
Radio Coverage: KDKA-FM 93.7 – The Fan
Announcers: Greg Brown, Tim Neverett, Bob Walk, and John Wehner
Live (Pay) Streaming: MLB.TV
Pittsburgh Pirates
Online Highlights: Pirates Video
Sirius XM Satellite Radio: XM Internet 861
Odds: Pirates +1.5 According To OddsShark.com with the Over/Under at 11.
Weather Forecast: According to the Weather Channel, the forecast is calling for cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. The high today is to be 77. Chance of rain is 60%.
Starting Pitchers: A pair of righthanders wrap up the series. Chicago will go with Jake Arrieta (4-3, 3.00 ERA/1.07 WHIP) and Pittsburgh will counter A.J. Burnett (2-1, 1.60 ERA/1.16 WHIP).
5/17 @Pirates lineup vs CHC
— MLB Replays (@MLBReplays) May 17, 2015
Polanco RF
Walker 2B
McCutchen CF
Marte LF
Kang SS
Alvarez 1B
Harrison 3B
Cervelli C
Burnett P
5/17 @Cubs lineup vs PIT
— MLB Replays (@MLBReplays) May 17, 2015
Fowler CF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Castro SS
Montero C
Soler RF
Coghlan LF
Arrieta P
Russell 2B
Next Matchup: The Pirates have an off day Monday before they open an eight-game homestand Tuesday that starts off with a two-game set against the Minnesota Twins. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The Twins will go with righthander Ricky Nolasco (3-1, 6.38 ERA/1.80 WHIP) and the Bucs will counter with lefthander Francisco Liriano (1-3, 2.96 ERA/1.01 WHIP). The game will be broadcast on ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.
Beyond The Scoreboard: After being shut out by the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, May 6, the Pirates have scored a total of 49 runs in its last 10 games, which averages 4.9 per contest… Pittsburgh catchers have thrown out 11 runners attempting to steal against them this season. They rank second among all National League teams… Five of the Bucs’ last seven losses on the road have come by one run. They have lost six games this year in walkoff fashion.
Next: View from the Booth: Frisky Hounds settle for home draw