Pittsburgh @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2019 ) Chi. Cubs 7, Pittsburgh 1

The Chicago Cubs continue their push for at least a National League wild card spot when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game series. Chicago, which is tied with Milwaukee for the second wild card and four games behind first-place St. Louis in the Central Division, has seven games remaining against the Cardinals and a total of nine versus Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

"I don’t care if it’s pretty or ugly. We just have to win," Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo told reporters. "That’s all we can do. If we don’t win games, we’re going to be going barbecuing too early. We believe in each other. We’re here for one another. But we’ve got to win.” Chicago hopes rookie shortstop Nico Hoerner (5-for-15, four RBIs, two runs in his first four games) keeps producing with Javier Baez (thumb) and Addison Russell (concussion) out with injuries. Pittsburgh's Bryan Reynolds (.325) and Kevin Newman (.312) continue their bid to become the first rookie teammates to hit .300 in the same season since Boston's Fred Lynn (.331) and Jim Rice (.309) in 1975. Chicago's Jon Lester tries to extend his mastery over the Pirates when he takes the ball Friday opposite Steven Brault, who pitched well against the Cubs last month.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, NBCS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Steven Brault (4-4, 4.13 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (12-10, 4.51)

Brault allowed six runs (five earned) and six hits over 5 1/3 innings of a 10-1 loss to St. Louis on Saturday. The 27-year-old Californian has recorded three of his five quality starts this season in his last five outings. Chicago's Kris Bryant is 8-for-14 with two home runs and two doubles against Brault, who is 0-1 with a 6.31 ERA in 13 games (four starts) against the Cubs after yielding one run and two hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of a 2-0 loss Aug. 17.

Lester's up-and-down season continued as he allowed eight runs, seven hits (two homers) and three walks with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of an 8-5 loss at Milwaukee on Sunday. The 35-year-old Washington native has yielded five or more runs in four of his last eight starts, going 3-4 with a 6.91 ERA during that span. Pittsburgh's Josh Bell is 6-for-23 with a home run, five walks and six strikeouts versus Lester, who is 11-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 21 starts versus the Pirates - 2-0, 1.84 in three outings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago (78-68) is 51-51 in its last 102 games, 41-41 in 82, 17-17 in 34 and 9-9 in 18.

2. Pirates CF Starling Marte (career highs of 23 home runs, 82 RBIs and 97 runs scored this season) has not started the last four games because of a sprained left wrist.

3. The Cubs lead the season series 8-5, winning five of six at Wrigley Field, with three contests remaining at PNC Park from Sept. 24-26.

PREDICTION: Cubs 3, Pirates 2