Cincinnati @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2016 ) Chi. Cubs 9, Cincinnati 2
The past couple of weeks have been tough for the Chicago Cubs – with the exception of a three-day stopover in Cincinnati. The Cubs return home and hope a visit from the Reds for three games beginning Monday will help them get back on track after a rocky road trip.
Chicago went 4-7 on its trip to Miami, Cincinnati and New York, concluding with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Mets. The highlight of the journey was the stop in Cincinnati, where the Cubs outscored the Reds 27-12 in the three-game sweep to improve to 9-1 in the season series. Things didn’t improve much for the Reds over the weekend at Washington where they dropped three of four to the Nationals and were pounded 12-1 in Sunday’s series finale, in which they didn’t record a hit until the eighth inning. The Cubs also were on the wrong end of a lopsided sweep in New York where the Mets outscored them 32-11, including a 14-3 rout Sunday.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Cody Reed (0-2, 9.00 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 2.76)
Reed’s first stint in the majors hasn’t gone well, as the Reds have lost all three of his starts and he has been tagged with the loss in the last two. The 23-year-old hasn’t lasted more than five innings in his last two outings and allowed seven runs on nine hits over four frames in Wednesday’s loss to the Cubs. Reed has surrendered six home runs in 16 innings, including three against the Cubs last week.
Hendricks hit a bump in his breakout season with back-to-back losses last month, but he has won two straight decisions and the Cubs have won each of his last three starts. The 26-year-old beat Reed and the Reds on Wednesday, allowing two runs and eight hits over 6 2/3 innings to even his record. Hendricks is 2-1 with a 4.04 ERA in six starts against Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo, OF Albert Almora Jr. and SS Addison Russell all homered against Reed on Wednesday.
2. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto, who is 8-for-23 with two doubles and three homers over his past six games, is 4-for-6 with two homers against Hendricks.
3. Reds pitchers have allowed 144 home runs – most in the majors – including 24 in 10 games against the Cubs.
PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Reds 4