Chicago @ Pittsburgh preview

Chi. Cubs at Pittsburgh

Last Meeting ( Aug 1, 2018 ) Chi. Cubs 9, Pittsburgh 2

The Pittsburgh Pirates are beginning the fade from the National League playoff race, and the next week could do further damage to their postseason hopes. The Pirates begin a seven-game homestand against a pair of division leaders when they play the first of four contests against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

The Pirates have fallen nine games behind the Cubs in the NL Central and 5 1/2 back of the second wild-card spot. Pittsburgh was swept in two games at Minnesota to begin the week and now faces a brutal stretch of 16 straight games against teams with winning records, including four with the Cubs and six with NL East-leading Atlanta. The Cubs have alternated wins and losses in their past seven contests, but that has been good enough to maintain a three-game lead over second-place Milwaukee in the NL Central. After being shut out by the Brewers on Tuesday and holding a players-only meeting, the Cubs hammered 13 hits, including homers by Anthony Rizzo and Albert Almora, in an 8-4 win Wednesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (12-5, 3.89 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.42)

Lester is winless in five starts since the All-Star break and has pitched to a bloated 10.32 ERA over that span. The 34-year-old was rocked for nine runs (eight earned) over 3 2/3 innings Saturday against Washington, and he surrendered three home runs. Lester is 7-6 with a 3.59 ERA in 16 career starts against the Pirates, including 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA in four meetings this season.

The Pirates have won five of Nova’s last six starts, and the 31-year-old is 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA over that stretch. Nova won at San Francisco last time out, limiting the Giants to two runs and three hits over six frames. Nova is 4-1 with a 3.63 ERA in six starts against the Cubs and has allowed four runs in 12 2/3 innings across two meetings in 2018.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates are 51-2 when leading after eight innings, while the Cubs are 58-2 when taking a lead to the ninth.

2. Chicago INF David Bote is 9-for-23 over his last eight games.

3. The Cubs acquired OF Terrance Gore from Kansas City on Wednesday. Gore is 0-for-11 in his major-league career but has 21 stolen bases in 49 big-league games and will be eligible for the postseason roster.

PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Pirates 4