Deadspin | Cubs out to spice up run manufacturing vs. bettering Pirates

There has been a not unusual theme within the Chicago Cubs’ contemporary losses: an incapacity to provide with runners on base. It’s one thing the Cubs will glance to rectify on Saturday after they host the Pittsburgh Pirates within the 3rd matchup of a four-game set.

The Cubs stranded 9 runners and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring place in a 2-1, 10-inning loss on Friday. In a 7-2 defeat to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, they left seven on base and had been 1-for-7 with an opportunity to attain. The loss sooner than that (4-3 in 11 innings in opposition to Philadelphia on Monday) noticed Chicago go away 8 on base whilst going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring place.

“Look, we want to have a good process, that’s what you can control,” Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned. “But that always involves swinging at balls — the right pitches — so that doesn’t change no matter who’s pitching, it’s always the same.”

Seiya Suzuki used to be the one Cubs batter to attach for more than one hits on Friday, with six others accounting for the remaining.

One of the ones used to be Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has a success in 9 of 11 video games in June. The heart fielder has now not long gone greater than two video games and not using a hit this season.

The 23-year-old is not afraid to move after pitches out of doors the zone, with a 43.9 p.c chase charge, smartly above the most important league reasonable (28.5 p.c). And it hasn’t harm him on the plate, as he does not have a top strikeout charge.

“There’s really no clear way to attack him,” Chicago pitcher Jameson Taillon mentioned after Crow-Armstrong homered within the Cubs’ 3-2 win in opposition to Pittsburgh. “We all thought he was going to hit in the big leagues, but the power is crazy. He’s putting balls way back in the seats against good, tough pitches.”

Matthew Boyd (5-3, 2.89 ERA) will take the mound for the Cubs on Saturday.

The left-hander, who gave up two runs (one earned) on 8 hits in six innings right through a no-decision in opposition to the Phillies on Monday, might be in search of his first profession win in opposition to the Pirates. He is 0-3 with a 6.53 ERA in six profession begins vs. Pittsburgh. Boyd threw 5 innings of two-run ball in a no-decision at Pittsburgh on April 30.

The Pirates, in the meantime, might be having a look to maintain a a hit stretch that has noticed them win seven in their previous 10 video games. Four of the ones wins had been determined by way of a run.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa hooked up for the game-winning run on Friday, riding in computerized runner Adam Frazier with a 10th-inning sacrifice fly. Back at shortstop this season after spending a large number of time closing 12 months both at 2d or 3rd, the 30-year-old veteran is beginning to to find his means after a correct hamstring pressure sidelined him in early May.

“We got a long way to go,” Kiner-Falefa mentioned. “Working on it every day, still getting used to being back at shortstop. So, anytime you have those games and make some plays, just build off the momentum. Just doing the best I can out there, and I think it’ll get better.”

Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.00 ERA) gets the nod for the Pirates. It would be the first profession look in opposition to the Cubs for the right-hander, in his 6th main league recreation (his 5th this 12 months).

–Field Level Media