Off-days are much easier to deal with coming off a win/series sweep.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely ready for some more Cubs baseball tonight – it’s just that I’m not stressed and anxiously awaiting the start of the game. It’s a nice feeling. I wish it happened more often.
John Lackey is taking the mound for the Cubs tonight and looks to keep a nice second-half stretch going. If he’s able to be successful once again, he may just help the Cubs get to 10 games over .500 for the first time this season.
Opposing Lackey is Reds’ right Homer Bailey. The Cubs just saw Bailey on the 16th, when they pounced on him for six earned runs on seven hits and five walks in just 5.2 innings pitched. Of course, Bailey also struck out ten guys in that outing just before the Cubs’ bullpen blew a 6-1 lead and needed Javy Baez to score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th to win it. So I guess there was some good and some bad.
Facing the same team in short notice is not an easy task, so it looks like both pitchers have their work cut out for them. Let’s see which one comes out on top.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (66-57) at Cincinnati Reds (53-72) – 6:10 CT on WGN, 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 today.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: John Lackey (R): 4.67 ERA, 5.49 FIP, 4.65 xFIP; 2.67 K/BB
versus
Reds: Homer Bailey (R): 8.44 ERA, 5.70 FIP, 5.22 xFIP; 1.37 K/BB
Cincinnati Reds:
- Billy Hamilton, CF
- Zack Cozart, SS
- Joey Votto, 1B
- Adam Duvall, LF
- Scooter Gennett, 2B
- Eugenio Suarez, 3B
- Scott Schebler, RF
- Tucker Barnhart, C
- Homer Bailey, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Jon Jay, CF
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ian Happ, 2B
- Alex Avila, C
- Jason Heyward, RF
- Javy Baez, SS
- John Lackey, P
