Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( May 15, 2010 ) Pittsburgh 4, Chi. Cubs 3
Whether the Pittsburgh Pirates are ready to put an end to their string of 17 consecutive losing seasons is yet to be seen, but they've certainly put an end to their woes against the Chicago Cubs.
After two years of being beaten up by the Cubs - they were 6-27 against Chicago from Sept. 21, 2007, to Sept. 29, 2009 - the Pirates have taken seven straight from their National League Central rivals, including the first five meetings this season.
Now the Pirates are looking for their first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field since May 5-7, 2000, and they might have the right guy on the mound to do it, considering Ross Ohlendorf threw seven scoreless innings in his only previous start against the Cubs.
Ohlendorf held the Cubs to four hits and struck out eight while walking none on 30, 2009.
The 27-year-old right-hander will make only his third start of the year after spending a month on the disabled list because of back spasms. In his first start back Monday against Cincinnati, Ohlendorf lasted only four innings but limited the Reds to one run on three hits. He walked four and was saddled with the loss in a 2-1 game.
That was in the midst of one of the offensive lapses that have plagued the Pirates this year, but they haven't experienced that phenomenon against the Cubs. The Pirates are hitting .293 against Chicago this year and only .227 against the rest of the league.
Center fielder Andrew McCutchen's hot hitting against the Cubs has been a big part of that. McCutchen had two more hits and an RBI Saturday, and he's now 11 for 14 with five RBIs in four games against the Cubs this year.
The Cubs, who have lost nine of 11, hope left-hander Ted Lilly can help cool off McCutchen. The Pirates' budding star is 2 for 12 lifetime against Lilly, though the two hits came in Pittsburgh's 4-2 win at PNC Park on May 5.
Lilly was stellar in his first game back from offseason shoulder surgery, but he has lost all of his three starts since, including the one against the Pirates last week.
In that one, he allowed four runs on nine hits over six innings in a 4-2 loss, dropping to 4-3 in his career against Pittsburgh. In 13 appearances against the Pirates - 11 of them starts - Lilly has a 4.44 ERA.
In his last start, Lilly went seven innings and allowed four runs - three earned - on five hits.