The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field after raising the banner Monday night, but the World Series celebration isn’t over.
Tonight, the players will get their World Series rings – the ones that were teased oh-so-devilishly this morning – in a special pre-game ceremony (20 lucky fans will hand them out to the players). Neither I nor Brett will be there tonight, but Luis will be back out in right field doing his thing.
Because the Cubs won game one on Monday, a win tonight would seal their third consecutive series win to start the season. Hopefully they get there without anymore two-hour rain delays.
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Also, during our first off-day check-in yesterday, we discovered that the Cubs offense hasn’t exactly been pulling its weight in the early going (mostly middle of the pack), so hopefully that changes tonight as well.
As for the match-up, the Dodgers get a break from lefties for a night, as John Lackey takes the mound in his second start of the season. Last time out, he lasted 6.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts against the Cardinals. Were it not for a dropped double play in the first inning of that one, he might have been even better.
Opposing Lackey and the Cubs is Dodgers’ righty Brandon McCarthy. In McCarthy’s last start (against the Padres), he surrendered two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and four strikeouts over six innings pitched. He may be getting older (turns 34 in a few months), but if he can stay healthy, he can mean a lot to the Dodgers chances this season.
With Jon Jay and Ben Zobrist in the lineup tonight, the Cubs will send five lefties to the mound against McCarthy … but he’s been oddly split neutral for his career: .319 wOBA v. Lefties (525.1 IP) and .318 wOBA v. Righties (533.0 IP).
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (5-2) at Los Angeles Dodgers (4-4) – 7:05 on ABC-7 & MLBN, 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 evening.
The Series Preview lives here. The Lineup Discussion lives here.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: John Lackey (R): 3.35 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 3.80 xFIP; 3.40 K/BB (2016)
versus
Dodgers: Brandon McCarthy (R): 4.95 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 4.55 xFIP; 1.60 K/BB (2016)
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Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup:
- Andrew Toles, LF
- Corey Seager, SS
- Logan Forsythe, 3B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Yasmani Grandal, C
- Joc Pederson, CF
- Chase Utley, 2B
- Yasiel Puig, RF
- Brandon McCarthy, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Addison Russell, SS
- Jason Heyward, RF
- Willson Contreras, C
- John Lackey, P
- Jon Jay, CF