Tonight is Social Media night at Wrigley Field, and – given how much we love social media ’round these parts – I’ll be in attendance rocking a Bleacher Nation shirt.
If you see me, come say hi!
No, really. I have no one to sit with at the game (scratch that, Luis will be there too! But still come say hi!), because Brett had to go and have a baby and experience life to it’s fullest, or whatever.
Starting for the Cubs tonight is lefty ace (he deserves that) Jon Lester, who has looked very sharp lately, allowing two or fewer earned runs in each of his last nine starts (and ten of his past eleven). His last time out against the Cardinals went extremely well, as he allowed zero earned runs on just three hits and one walk (against 8 strikeouts) over eight innings pitched. His ERA is down to 2.40 (second best in baseball only to Kyle Hendricks) this season, with just a couple of starts to go.
Opposing Lester and the Cubs is righty Josh Smith. Smith, 29, is making his first start with the Reds this season, after making 29 appearances out of the pen throughout the year. As a reliever, Smith has collected a 4.97 ERA, a 5.46 FIP, and -0.5 fWAR over 50.2 innings.
First pitch is at 7:05.
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Game Info
Chicago Cubs (95-55) at Cincinnati Reds (63-87) – 7:05 CT on CSN-C, 670 The Score
Game Thread and Series Preview
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun this afternoon and into the early evening.
The Series Preview lives here. The Lineup Discussion lives here.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: Jon Lester (L): 2.40 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 3.47 xFIP; 3.73 K/BB
versus
Reds: Josh Smith (R): 4.97 ERA, 5.46 FIP, 4.76 xFIP; 1.83 K/BB
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Cincinnati Reds Lineup:
- Jose Peraza, SS
- Tony Renda, 3B
- Joey Votto, 1B
- Adam Duvall, LF
- Brandon Phillips, 2B
- Scott Schebler, RF
- Tyler Holt, CF
- Ramon Cabrera, C
- Josh Smith, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Dexter Fowler, CF
- Kris Bryant, LF
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Addison Russell, SS
- Jason Heyward, RF
- Javy Baez, 3B
- David Ross, C
- Jon Lester, P