San Francisco @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2014 ) San Francisco 8, Chi. Cubs 3
The San Francisco Giants have a rare opportunity to flip a result from the loss column to the win ledger in the midst of a heated playoff race. The Giants have a chance to pick up two big wins Thursday when they wrap up a three-game road series against the Chicago Cubs. One of those games already was chalked up as a loss, but Major League Baseball upheld the Giants' protest of Tuesday's contest, which will resume at 5:05 p.m. ET before the regularly-scheduled series finale.
The Cubs led the opener of the set 2-0 through 4 1/2 innings when heavy rain coupled with the Wrigley Field grounds crew's inability to properly place the infield tarp led to a rain delay of more than 4 1/2 hours. The game eventually was ruled official, but MLB's first upheld protest since 1986 put it back in play. The Cubs now need to win both games to claim their first series win at home against the Giants since taking two of three from July 11-13, 2008.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (13-9, 3.14 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Travis Wood (7-10, 4.86)
Bumgarner has recorded quality starts in three straight outings and five of his last six, but he didn't get a victory last time out. The 25-year-old struck out nine and allowed just one run over seven innings but didn't get a decision in a 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. Bumgarner is 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA in eight starts against the Cubs, including a 2-2 mark and 3.42 ERA in four outings at Wrigley Field.
Wood's winless streak has reached 11 starts dating to a victory at Philadelphia on June 15. The 27-year-old was an All-Star last season but has struggled to command the strike zone this year and issued four walks while allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the New York Mets on Friday. Wood is 1-2 with a 3.41 ERA in five starts against the Giants.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs RHP Jacob Turner and Giants RHP Yusmeiro Petit will take the mound when the suspended game resumes. Chicago LHP Tsuyoshi Wada and San Francisco RHP Ryan Vogelsong are the pitchers of record if the Cubs' lead holds up.
2. Cubs SS Starlin Castro missed Wednesday's game while tending to a family emergency and is expected to return home to the Dominican Republic and land on the bereavement list.
3. Giants rookie 2B Joe Panik is riding a six-game hitting streak and has recorded multiple hits in four straight contests and seven of his last 13.
PREDICTION: Giants 5, Cubs 3