Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (12:35 CT) – Lineup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

The Cubs will today try and win their sixth straight series, with Jon Lester taking on the Braves.

Lester, like the rest of the Cubs’ rotation, has been brilliant of late, narrowly missing an opportunity to throw back-to-back complete games, and posting a 2.06 ERA, a 2.97 FIP, and a 3.23 xFIP so far this year.

Lester will be opposed by another Jon – this one with the Gant surname and an “H” there in the first.

That’s a stupid way of saying John Gant starts for the Braves, and although he’s been a very effective starter at AAA this year, his only appearances in the big leagues have been out of the bullpen, and have been mostly unsuccessful. He seems to battle control problems, but he does get his fair share of strikeouts. He also has used an extremely strange delivery, which he may or may not continue into this start.

Game Info

Chicago Cubs (42-18) at Atlanta Braves (18-43), 12:35 CT on WGN-9, 670 The Score.

Game Thread and Series Preview

Your game thread is down there in the comments, so have fun. But keep it “safe for work” type fun, all right?

The Series Preview lives here. The Lineup Discussion lives here.

Starting Pitchers

Cubs: Jon Lester (R): 2.06 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 3.23 xFIP; 4.59 K/BB

versus

Braves: John Gant (R): 6.17 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 4.22 xFIP; 2.80 K/BB

Atlanta Braves Lineup:

1. Ender Inciarte, CF

2. Chase d’Arnaud, 2B

3. Freddie Freeman, 1B

4. Jeff Francoeur, LF

5. Nick Markakis, RF

6. Adonis Garcia, 3B

7. Tyler Flower, C

8. Erick Aybar, SS

9. John Gant, P

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

1. Dexter Fowler, CF

2. Jason Heyward, RF

3. Kris Bryant, 3B

4. Anthony Rizzo, 1B

5. Ben Zobrist, 2B

6. Chris Coghlan, LF

7. Javy Baez, SS

8. David Ross, C

9. Jon Lester, P