Dodgers-Cubs Preview
Once again, there seems to be no slowing down the Chicago Cubs. The same can be said about their catalyst, Ben Zobrist. Zobrist's batting average continues to climb just like Chicago's record, and the 11-year veteran looks to extend his 15-game hitting streak and the Cubs' five-game run when they open a four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night. Chicago (34-14) regrouped from a 4-8 stretch with five consecutive victories, capped by a weekend sweep of Philadelphia to open a 10-game homestand. The Cubs became baseball's first team to improve to 20 games over .500. ''Now the next goal is 25,'' manager Joe Maddon said. That seems like a cinch with the Cubs hitting again. They have recorded double-digit hits in four of their last five games while averaging 7.6 runs. Zobrist was in the middle of it, extending his hitting streak to 15 games with a three-run home run in Sunday's 7-2 win. He's reached base safely in his last 34 starts and collected 40 hits in May - more than in any month of his career. Zobrist became the first Cubs player with 40 May hits since Alfonso Soriano in 2008. He is batting .463 over his last 22 games, and his overall .351 average sits behind only Washington's Daniel Murphy (.387) in the NL. ''I'm trying to figure out myself if I can keep this up, to be honest,'' Zobrist said. ''I don't think I've ever had a month where I've hit this well.'' Chicago has scored just eight runs in its last six games against the Dodgers (27-24), who took four of the last five in 2015. Monday starter Jason Hammel went 0-1 despite a 2.13 ERA in two starts last season against Los Angeles. Hammel (6-1, 2.17 ERA) has a 5.00 ERA in 12 career starts against the Dodgers. Chase Utley (5 for 9 with a home run) and Howie Kendrick (7 for 16 with two doubles) have seen him well. Hammel, though, is off to the best start of his 11-year career. Though he admittedly struggled with command, the right-hander tossed a season-high 7 1/3 innings in Tuesday's 12-3 win over St. Louis and held the Cardinals to a run and four hits. He will face a lineup that has averaged 5.57 runs during a 6-1 stretch. The Dodgers were mostly stifled in Sunday's 4-2 win over the New York Mets, but Adrian Gonzalez won it with a two-run single in the ninth inning. Clayton Kershaw struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings, meaning he won't face the Cubs. ''Bummer, man,'' Maddon said, smiling. Instead, it will be Alex Wood (1-3, 4.03) for the opener. The left-hander had his start pushed back three days because of irritation in his left triceps from hitting, though it didn't keep him from striking out a career-high 13 in his last start. Wood gave up two runs and four hits over six-plus innings in a 3-2 loss at San Diego on May 21. He has a 1.96 ERA and 27 strikeouts in his last three starts, though he is still seeking his first win since April 13. "It's the consistency of all my pitches, to get ahead and throw all three when and where I want them," Wood told MLB's official website. "When I can do that, it turns into punchouts and more importantly keeps guys off the bases." Wood has a 4.76 ERA in his two career starts against the Cubs, but he held them to two runs in six innings of a 2-0 loss on Aug. 30. |