Chicago @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 5, Chi. Cubs 6

The Chicago Cubs already have wrapped up the National League Central and home-field advantage through the Championship Series but will have one other achievement in their sights when they visit the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday for the opener of their four-game series. Chicago is looking to reach the 100-win plateau for the first time since 1935 after recording its 99th of the year with a 3-1 triumph over St. Louis on Sunday in its final home game of the regular season.

Ben Zobrist had his three-game RBI streak halted but has hit safely in four straight contests, going 8-for-13 in that span. While the Cubs have nothing to play for in terms of the postseason, the Pirates are clinging to the hopes of capturing a wild card for the fourth year in a row. It will take some doing, however, as Pittsburgh trails San Francisco by 4 1/2 games for the second spot with only seven contests remaining. The Pirates' chances took a big hit over the weekend as they were outscored 16-8 in back-to-back defeats against Washington, giving them five losses in their last six home games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (15-8, 2.06 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Chad Kuhl (5-3, 3.73)

Hendricks has not pitched since Sept. 18, when he had his string of six consecutive winning decisions halted by Milwaukee despite allowing only two runs and six hits in six innings. The 26-year-old Californian, who leads the major leagues in ERA, has given up three earned runs or fewer in 21 straight outings. Hendricks improved to 2-1 with a 4.22 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh on Aug. 30 as he scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings.

Kuhl managed to defeat the Brewers on Wednesday as he yielded just one run and five hits in six innings at Milwaukee. The 24-year-old native of Delaware has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his nine outings since a no-decision against Chicago on July 9 in which he surrendered four runs and seven hits over 2 1/3 frames. Kuhl lost his other career start versus the Cubs on Aug. 30, when he gave up three runs and four hits in five innings at Wrigley Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cubs are 12-3 versus the Pirates this season but have lost two of their last three in Pittsburgh.

2. Chicago LHP Rob Zastryzny will make his first career start in the series finale Thursday.

3. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen, who is riding a 13-game hitting streak, became the 19th player in franchise history with at least 1,300 hits Sunday.

PREDICTION: Cubs 8, Pirates 3