Arizona @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2015 ) Arizona 0, Chi. Cubs 2

The Chicago Cubs surpassed last year’s home win total last time out and have been difficult to beat of late at Wrigley Field. The Cubs will get one more chance to continue their incredible play at home before embarking on a pivotal 11-game road trip when they eye a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Chicago, which went 41-40 at home last season for its first winning record at Wrigley Field since 2009, appears to be on the same kind of trajectory this year that it was on when it went 55-26 at home en route to its last postseason berth in 2008. The Cubs improved to 42-28 in their ballpark as a result of Saturday’s 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks, giving them their 16th home win in 20 tries. Another victory on Sunday would be a welcome sight for Chicago since the Cubs will travel to league-best St. Louis, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before hosting the Cardinals on Sept. 18 after wrapping up with Arizona. Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt, who leads the team with a .324 batting average, 27 homers and 97 RBIs, had two of Arizona’s six hits on Saturday in his return to the lineup following a two-game absence to be with his wife as she gave birth to their first child, but could not prevent his team’s third straight loss.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Rubby De La Rosa (12-6, 4.46 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 4.15)
De La Rosa continued his second-half breakout in Tuesday’s 5-3 victory at Colorado, improving to 6-1 with a 3.32 ERA in nine turns since the All-Star break after allowing three runs in six innings to the Rockies. The 26-year-old Dominican owes some of the credit for his sterling second-half record to his offense, which has scored at least five runs in five of his post-break outings. De La Rosa did not factor into the decision in his only career start against the Cubs on May 23, yielding four runs in six frames.
Hendricks remained winless since Aug. 8 in a no-decision on Monday against Cincinnati, giving up three runs on five hits over five innings while turning in his fifth consecutive non-quality start. The 25-year-old Dartmouth product has struggled with his control recently as well, issuing three walks in three of his last four outings after doing so only four times over his first 22 career turns. Hendricks, who has never faced Arizona, has only managed one quality start since July 10 while posting a 5.59 ERA over that span.

WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs have homered in 14 straight home games, marking the longest such streak for the team since a 15-game run in 1991.
2. Goldschmidt is a .388 hitter with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 23 games against Chicago.
3. Cubs C Miguel Montero is expected to get the start behind the plate against his former team in the finale after sitting in favor of David Ross the last two contests.

PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 4