Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview

Pittsburgh at Chi. Cubs

Last Meeting ( May 14, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 2, Chi. Cubs 8

The Chicago Cubs aren’t just beating the Pittsburgh Pirates – they’re dominating them. The Cubs have outscored their National League Central rivals 37-11 in five meetings this season – winning each by at least four runs – and will try to finish a three-game sweep of the visiting Pirates on Sunday.

The Cubs are running away in the NL Central in large part because of their 15-2 record against division opponents, which includes a 5-0 mark against the Pirates. "We've fared well against them thus far, but we know the quality they have over there," Cubs ace Jake Arrieta told reporters. "We've just been playing some quality baseball. You just want to see your guys stay as hot as they can for as long as possible." Chicago owns the best record in baseball by a wide margin and is off to the franchise’s best start since 1907 – a year before the Cubs’ last World Series crown. The Pirates have lost eight of their last 11 and have scored two or fewer runs five times during that stretch.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (3-3, 3.78 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (4-1, 1.96)

Cole was roughed up for six runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Cubs on May 2, his worst outing of the season. The 25-year-old ace bounced back last time out at St. Louis, holding the Cardinals to two runs over six frames to earn the win. Cole’s one-time dominance against the Cubs has subsided over the past two seasons, but he’s still 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 10 career meetings.

Lester has posted quality starts in six of his seven outings this season, and the lone exception was May 4 at Pittsburgh where he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a win. The 32-year-old didn’t have his best stuff last time out but still managed to limit San Diego to three runs over six innings and earn the win. Lester is 3-2 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts against the Pirates.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-5 with a homer Saturday and has reached base in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors.

2. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen was 1-for-4 with a double Saturday and is 13-for-34 during an eight-game hitting streak.

3. Chicago SS Addison Russell has homered in consecutive games for the first time and has reached base in a career-high 17 consecutive games with 19 RBIs over that span.

PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Pirates 3