Chicago @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2013 ) Chi. Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been rock solid in the Steel City, and they'll try to continue their strong play at home when they host the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series beginning Tuesday. The Pirates have won eight of their last 10 and are shooting for their fourth straight series victory. Chicago had won two straight series before dropping two of three games to the New York Mets over the weekend. Both defeats came in one-run tilts, dropping the Cubs to 6-10 in those contests.
Pittsburgh is 5-2 on its current homestand after taking two of three from Houston over the weekend and 15-9 overall at PNC Park. The Cubs seized two of three in Pittsburgh to open the season and have won three straight series at PNC Park. Chicago's starting rotation has been strong, and reinforcement is on the way as right-hander Matt Garza - arguably the ace of the staff - will make his season debut Tuesday.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Matt Garza (2012: 5-7, 3.91 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Wandy Rodriguez (4-2, 3.25)
Garza hasn't made a big-league start in 10 months, as he missed the second half of last season with a shoulder injury and began the 2013 campaign on the disabled list with a strained left lat. Garza is 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates.
Rodriguez has won his last two starts and has notched quality starts in three straight outings. He has allowed two runs over 13 innings in his last two turns and will look to duplicate his dominant effort against the Cubs on April 3, when he allowed only two hits over 6 2/3 innings in Pittsburgh's 3-0 victory.
WALK-OFFS
1. Two of the Cubs' top run producers have struggled against Rodriguez, as LF Alfonso Soriano is 6-for-44 with 13 strikeouts and SS Starlin Castro is 4-for-22.
2. Rodriguez is 8-7 with a 3.56 ERA in 23 starts against the Cubs. He has recorded quality starts in six of his last eight outings against Chicago.
3. Pirates pitchers entered Monday ranked first in the National League with 362 strikeouts, while Cubs hitters had struck out the fifth-fewest times in the NL with 311.
PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Cubs 3