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MLB : ATS Matchup
Tuesday 8/4/2015Line$ LineOU LineScore
CHICAGO CUBS  ARRIETA )
 
PITTSBURGH  HAPP )
-1.5  +115

+1.5  -135
-130

+120

7un
 
5
Final
0

CHICAGO CUBS (57 - 47) at PITTSBURGH (61 - 43)
No Previous GameView Next Game
Tuesday, 8/4/2015 7:05 PM
JAKE ARRIETA (R) vs. J.A. HAPP (L)
Board OpeningLatest
 LineTotalLineTotal
901CHICAGO CUBS-125Ov 7,-115-135Ov 7,+100
902PITTSBURGH+115Un 7,-105+125Un 7,-120
ADVANCED TEAM STATS
CHICAGO CUBS - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games57-47+0.741-563.80.2370.3070.3720.6793.80.2380.2920.3770.669
Road Games30-23+6.824-254.50.2460.3130.3910.7043.90.2460.2990.3800.680
vs Left-handed Starters13-8+3.910-94.10.2360.3180.3400.6584.20.2500.3040.3970.700
Past 7 Games6-1+4.52-44.40.2420.3150.3920.7073.60.2290.2810.3470.628
Grass Games57-47+0.741-563.80.2370.3070.3720.6793.80.2380.2920.3770.669
Night Games38-25+12.427-324.20.2490.3170.3990.7163.80.2380.2970.3690.665
Division25-21+1.420-224.00.2500.3180.3810.6994.30.2470.3060.3810.686
CHICAGO CUBS - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games3.80.2370.307104352383516015950.3723823579537174481717585
Road Games4.50.2460.313531880462939540.3912271845013738438414235
Lefty Starters4.10.2360.31821692163322120.3408284190171571711146
CHICAGO CUBS - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games3.371.258330.71331242902512631324-18281565.1%
Road Games3.351.308161.36460146106514710-1018772%

PITTSBURGH - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games61-43+9.545-494.10.2560.3080.3860.6953.60.2500.3060.3610.667
Home Games35-17+11.424-254.10.2580.3110.3900.7013.20.2360.2870.3410.629
vs Right-handed Starters51-34+11.237-394.10.2520.3050.3850.6903.50.2500.3050.3620.667
Past 7 Games5-2+2.13-35.30.2430.3040.3930.6975.00.3040.3560.4700.825
Grass Games61-43+9.545-494.10.2560.3080.3860.6953.60.2500.3060.3610.667
Night Games40-31+1.233-324.10.2540.3070.3820.6883.90.2560.3120.3740.686
Division19-26-12.321-193.80.2390.3010.3680.6694.20.2640.3260.3880.714
PITTSBURGH - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games4.10.2560.308104359992319213830.38640427084568741837611994
Home Games4.10.2580.311521742449898420.3902031343793135544295939
Righty Starters4.10.2520.30585294374316010700.38532722168951594696010574
PITTSBURGH - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games2.861.222315113100288309727016-1336980%
Home Games2.681.0371615048130163713113-420483.3%
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
CHICAGO CUBS - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
7/21/2015HAMMEL(R)@ CINCINNATIIGLESIAS(R)5-4W-1258.5 unO1214113110
7/22/2015HENDRICKS(R)@ CINCINNATILEAKE(R)1-9L-1158 unO5511380
7/22/2015BEELER(R)@ CINCINNATICINGRANI(L)6-5W1108.5 unO1210113120
7/24/2015LESTER(L)PHILADELPHIAWILLIAMS(R)3-5L-2659 unU91001260
7/25/2015ARRIETA(R)PHILADELPHIAHAMELS(L)0-5L-2106 ovU02111100
7/26/2015HAMMEL(R)PHILADELPHIANOLA(R)5-11L-1807 evO6201780
7/27/2015HENDRICKS(R)COLORADODE LA ROSA(L)9-8W-1407 unO10411371
7/28/2015BEELER(R)COLORADOFLANDE(L)2-7L-1508.5 ovO7701070
7/29/2015LESTER(L)COLORADOBUTLER(R)3-2W-2208 evU650530
7/30/2015ARRIETA(R)@ MILWAUKEENELSON(R)5-2W-1357 ovP971660
7/31/2015HAMMEL(R)@ MILWAUKEEJUNGMANN(R)4-1W-1258 unU980781
8/1/2015HENDRICKS(R)@ MILWAUKEEGARZA(R)4-2W-1408.5 unU560550
8/2/2015RICHARD(L)@ MILWAUKEELOHSE(R)4-3W1009.5 unU971860
8/4/2015ARRIETA(R)@ PITTSBURGHHAPP(L) 
8/5/2015HAREN(R)@ PITTSBURGHLOCKE(L) 
8/6/2015HAMMEL(R)SAN FRANCISCOHESTON(R) 
8/7/2015HENDRICKS(R)SAN FRANCISCOLEAKE(R) 
8/8/2015LESTER(L)SAN FRANCISCOCAIN(R) 
8/9/2015ARRIETA(R)SAN FRANCISCOPEAVY(R) 
8/11/2015 MILWAUKEE  

PITTSBURGH - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
7/21/2015COLE(R)@ KANSAS CITYVARGAS(L)1-3L-1157 ovU892631
7/22/2015MORTON(R)@ KANSAS CITYVOLQUEZ(R)1-5L1157.5 evU870960
7/23/2015LIRIANO(L)WASHINGTONFISTER(R)7-3W-1857 unO1370670
7/24/2015LOCKE(L)WASHINGTONSCHERZER(R)7-5W+1206.5 unO1251760
7/25/2015BURNETT(R)WASHINGTONGONZALEZ(L)3-9L-1457 ovO7521491
7/26/2015COLE(R)WASHINGTONROSS(R)3-1W-1607 unU530751
7/28/2015MORTON(R)@ MINNESOTAPELFREY(R)8-7W-1059.5 unO11921271
7/29/2015LIRIANO(L)@ MINNESOTASANTANA(R)10-4W-1308 unO13821293
7/30/2015BURNETT(R)@ CINCINNATIHOLMBERG(L)5-15L-1509 unO119119130
7/31/2015LOCKE(L)@ CINCINNATILORENZEN(R)5-4W-1259 unP76010100
8/1/2015COLE(R)@ CINCINNATIIGLESIAS(R)3-4L-1407.5 ovU880970
8/2/2015MORTON(R)@ CINCINNATISAMPSON(R)3-0W-1409 unU340681
8/4/2015HAPP(L)CHICAGO CUBSARRIETA(R) 
8/5/2015LOCKE(L)CHICAGO CUBSHAREN(R) 
8/7/2015COLE(R)LA DODGERSKERSHAW(L) 
8/8/2015MORTON(R)LA DODGERSLATOS(R) 
8/9/2015LIRIANO(L)LA DODGERSWOOD(L) 
8/11/2015 @ ST LOUIS  
KEY GAME INFORMATION
CHICAGO CUBS: CHICAGO (AP) - Standing in the shade on a beautiful afternoon in Arizona, Jon Lester embraced the question that hovers over the Chicago Cubs these days.
When it comes to all those highly touted prospects, Lester said the time is now.
''When I played in Boston, we didn't have time to grow up,'' the left-hander explained. ''You just had to show up and play, and each year you're expected to win, so that's how I feel. Every year they should come in and expect to be not only division winners, but World Series champions. If you don't have that mindset, then I think you're playing for the wrong reasons.''
Heady stuff for a franchise known mostly for futility, but the Cubs think it's a new era after five consecutive losing seasons.
The shift in thinking for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and the rest of the front office was evident during an aggressive offseason that included the addition of Joe Maddon after the veteran manager opted out of his contract with Tampa Bay, and a $155 million, six-year contract to add Lester.
The hiring of Maddon meant dumping Rick Renteria after just one year, and Lester's deal is a significant investment for a pitcher who turned 31 in January. But looking at their good young core and rich minor league system, the Cubs felt it was time to act.
''There's a lot of talent here. Now it's about executing,'' Lester said. ''It's going out and playing good baseball for six months. It's hard to do. But that's why we're here. We're going to figure it out as we go.''
The Cubs, who also acquired center fielder Dexter Fowler and catcher Miguel Montero in trades, should be much improved after their 73-89 finish in 2014. But going from last place to the playoffs could depend more on the development of Chicago's top prospects than its newest players.
Jorge Soler takes over in right field after making his major league debut in August and drawing raves for his approach at the plate in the season's final month. Javier Baez, Arismendy Alcantara and Kris Bryant - all 20-something position players with considerable potential - also are key to the Cubs' chance for a breakthrough.
''You don't really read enough about their personalities and their makeup. That to me makes them real prospects,'' Maddon said. ''There's a lot of guys who throw 95 mph and hit balls out of sight. But with the makeup, personality and character ... that's what really turns me on to this group.''
Here are a few more things to watch with the Cubs:
UNDER THE RADAR: Jake Arrieta was a pleasant surprise, finishing with a 10-5 record and a sparkling 2.53 ERA in 25 starts last year. He struck out 167 in 156 2-3 innings and allowed just five homers.
Arrieta, 29, began last season on the disabled list with right shoulder tightness but looked healthy this spring and could team with Lester to give Chicago a potent top of the rotation.
''There's always room to improve. There's always things to get better at,'' Arrieta said. ''There's a right way to go about doing that, and I think that there's some things that I can clean up and kind of use in regard to what I did last season to make it even better.''
AT THE PLATE: The Cubs struck out a major league-high 1,477 times last season, and their .300 on-base percentage was 28th among 30 teams. They had six players with at least 100 strikeouts.
The addition of Fowler, who had a .375 on-base percentage last season with Houston, should help the top of the order, and the pressure is on new hitting coach John Mallee to help Baez and the other young hitters make more consistent contact.
IN THE DUGOUT: Maddon is one of the game's most creative managers, and the move to the NL and one of the game's most quirky ballparks in Wrigley Field could lead to all sorts of different lineups. He could put the pitcher in the eighth slot in the lineup in some situations. Pretty much everything is on the table when it comes to Maddon.
IN THE FIELD: The majors' second-oldest ballpark is undergoing a major renovation that could affect its notoriously fickle wind, which can turn innocent fly balls into homers and long drives into outs. A massive new videoboard is expected to be in place by opening day, but the bleachers will be under construction for the first part of the season. How the work on the ballpark affects the the field remains to be seen.
PITTSBURGH: PITTSBURGH (AP) - The scenario was familiar. The destination not so much.
A veteran player with not much time left leaving millions of dollars on the table for one last run to glory. Only A.J. Burnett didn't walk away from his $12.75 million player option with the Philadelphia Phillies for Los Angeles, Washington or St. Louis.
Nope, the 38-year-old well-traveled (and well tattooed) pitcher practically sprinted to Pittsburgh. His arrival in 2012 marked a sea change in the once-floundering organization's direction. His return three years later signals - he hopes - the end of the team's slow but steady slog from downtrodden afterthought to world champion. And he's not kidding.
''I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,'' Burnett said.
The Pirates are as close to being in the conversation as they've been in nearly a quarter century. And they've opened up their wallets, at least a little, to get there. Pittsburgh made Francisco Liriano the highest-paid free agent in team history when they signed lefthander to a three-year, $39-million deal in the offseason to continue the career resurgence that began when they took a two-year flier on him in 2013. And while Burnett took a cut, he isn't exactly going broke. He'll make $8 million to work as the third man in the rotation behind Liriano and Gerrit Cole.
Pittsburgh even spent $5 million for the rights to sign Korean infielder Jung-Ho Kang, who hit 40 home runs on the other side of the world last year and gives the Pirates an intriguing if unproven option should shortstop Jordy Mercer falter or second baseman Neil Walker's back flare up.
General manager Neal Huntington remains adamant his team's budget will never compare to those of clubs in larger markets but allows there is ''more margin for error'' than in years' past.
''We've built a deeper club because of the money allocated to us,'' he said. ''But we need to continue to grow and mature. We want to put ourselves in a position to win the World Series.''
There are worse places to start than in Pittsburgh, which backed up its breakthrough year in 2013 with a second straight postseason berth in 2014. The playoff run ended abruptly against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild card game. Yet the point had been made. The Pirates aren't going anywhere.
''It would've been easy to say 2013 was a fluke and we just got lucky,'' centerfielder Andrew McCutchen said. ''But we showed up in `14 and were able to do the same thing. We know we're for real. And other teams know they just can't come in (thinking), `All right, we're going to beat the Pirates.' We're not that team anymore.''
They're also not where they want to be, at least not yet. A National League Central title would avoid the fickleness of a one-game scenario. Pittsburgh believes it's built to withstand the rigors of October.
Here are the keys to getting there:
---
THE OTHER FRANCISCO
The Pirates' budget might be growing, but they still couldn't afford to keep catcher Russell Martin, who parlayed his tremendous 2014 into a $82 million deal with Toronto. Pittsburgh prepared for Martin's departure by trading for longtime Yankees' backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. When healthy Cervelli is an adequate defensive replacement with a decent if not powerful bat. If he can handle the pitching staff and control the basepaths, any offense he provides would be a plus.
---
SPEED TO BURN
Perennial MVP candidate McCutchen anchors one of baseball's most athletic outfields. Starling Marte surged toward the end of a bumpy 2014 and Gregory Polanco is a raw but talented work in progress. Pittsburgh felt confident enough in Polanco's progress to trade Travis Snider to Baltimore.
---
PEDRO'S PROGRESS
Pedro Alvarez moves across the infield to first base in hopes of salvaging his career after developing a serious case of the yips at third. If his can reclaim the groove that helped him mash 36 homers in 2013, the Pirates can live with whatever growing pains may come with the switch.
---
KANG SHOW
Kang (pronounced ''Gahng'') doesn't lack for confidence. He told reporters in Korea he believes he can supplant Mercer at shortstop. It may take longer than he thought after a sluggish spring training.
---
THE VANIMAL
Vance Worley, like Liriano, Burnett and the since departed Edinson Volquez, thrived under pitching coach Ray Searage's mentoring last spring. He was arguably Pittsburgh's best starter down the stretch and a strong spring gives him a leg up in the battle Jeff Locke for the fifth starter spot.
PREVIEW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (CHICAGO CUBS-PITTSBURGH) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Cubs-Pirates Preview* ======================

By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Chicago (57-47) at Pittsburgh (61-43), 7:05 p.m. EDT

With All-Star pitcher A.J. Burnett on the shelf, the Pittsburgh Pirates picked up J.A. Happ before the trade deadline, and he's hoping a change of scenery will result in some improved performances.

The left-hander will make his Pittsburgh debut Tuesday night when he squares off with the Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta in a shortened series between playoff contenders.

With Burnett placed on the disabled list Friday, the Pirates (61-43) made use of a closing trading window that same day to get Happ from Seattle. He could get plenty of starts with Burnett out for at least four weeks because of a strained flexor tendon in his right elbow.

Burnett is 8-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 21 starts this season while his replacement has gone 4-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 20 starts and one relief appearance. Happ was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in his final four starts for the Mariners, and gave up season highs of seven runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings in a 9-5 loss to Minnesota on Thursday.

"I've had a few tough outings the last couple of weeks, and for me, a fresh start will be a good thing," he told MLB's official website. "I have a lot of confidence in myself. I know what I'm capable of, and I feel healthy. So I'm anxious to get out there and prove that."

Happ will have to pitch opposite Arrieta (11-6, 2.62 ERA), who ranks ninth in the NL in ERA, fourth in strikeouts (147) and sixth in WHIP (1.02). He is 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA in his last eight outings and is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh.

The right-hander has yielded one run while pitching at least six innings in each of his last three versus the Pirates, and went seven innings in his latest matchup while taking a 3-0 loss May 17.

Arrieta will try to help the Cubs start this rebooted series on a winning note after Monday's game was postponed. Chicago (57-47) enters Tuesday with a half-game lead over San Francisco for the NL's second wild-card berth with a four-game home series against the Giants looming this weekend.

Pittsburgh is four games ahead of the Cubs for the top wild-card spot.

The rain at PNC Park meant the Cubs' five-game win streak stayed intact while the Pirates remained 11-2 in their last 13 home games and winners in seven of 10 overall. Chicago, 10 games over .500 for the first time since ending 2008 at 97-64, will try for its first six-game road win streak since taking eight in a row Sept. 13-28, 2010. The Cubs also seek to match their season-high six consecutive overall wins May 11-16.

Happ is 1-2 with a 5.57 ERA in four career starts against Chicago and made his most recent June 30, 2012, while with Houston. He'll get his first look at Cubs highly touted rookie Kris Bryant, who returned to the lineup Monday after leaving Sunday's game in Milwaukee when he felt dizzy following a headfirst slide into second base.

"I feel a little bit better," Bryant said. "I only have one head. I only have one life. There's nothing really to joke about with that, so we're taking it really serious."

Andrew McCutchen is 7 for 17 (.412) lifetime against Arrieta and 3 for 6 this season.


Last Updated: 3/29/2024 12:41:14 PM EST.


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