Pittsburgh; Tuesday, 6:35 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Jake Arrieta (4-4, 4.47 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 31 strikeouts) Pirates: Cody Ponce (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
BOTTOM LINE: Pittsburgh enters the game as losers of their last three games.
The Pirates are 7-16 against NL Central teams. Pittsburgh has hit 30 home runs this season, last in the National League. Bryan Reynolds leads the team with four while slugging .472.
The Cubs have gone 11-13 against division opponents. Chicago has hit 55 home runs this season, twelfth in the National League. Javier Baez leads them with 11, averaging one every 13.9 at-bats.
The Pirates won the last meeting 6-5. Tyler Anderson earned his third victory and Wilmer Difo went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs for Pittsburgh. Kyle Hendricks registered his fourth loss for Chicago.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reynolds leads the Pirates with 20 extra base hits and is batting .298.
Baez leads the Cubs with 32 RBIs and is batting .255.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pirates: 3-7, .242 batting average, 6.55 ERA, outscored by 36 runs
Cubs: 7-3, .270 batting average, 2.58 ERA, outscored opponents by 23 runs
INJURIES: Pirates: Jose Soriano: (elbow), Chad Kuhl: (right shoulder), Austin Davis: (elbow), Blake Cederlind: (elbow), Trevor Cahill: (elbow), Steven Brault: (lat strain), Ka’ai Tom: (wrist), Phillip Evans: (left hamstring), Colin Moran: (left groin), Ke’Bryan Hayes: (wrist).
Cubs: Rowan Wick: (oblique), Justin Steele: (hamstring), Alec Mills: (lower back), Shelby Miller: (back), Trevor Megill: (forearm), Jonathan Holder: (shoulder), Jake Marisnick: (hamstring), Jason Heyward: (hamstring), Austin Romine: (left wrist).
