It’s the opening game of a short series between a pair of NL Central foes on the diamond in the Windy City. The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road as they kick off a short two-game series with the Chicago Cubs Monday night. Pittsburgh played the rubber game of a three-game series at home with the Marlins Sunday afternoon. The Pirates evened that series by earning a 1-0 victory Saturday. Chicago was in the City of Brotherly Love looking to sweep the Phillies as they picked up a 6-2 triumph in 10 innings Saturday in the middle game of that set. In the season series, the Pirates own an 8-5 advantage, including taking three of four at home in the most recent series June 20-23.
Pittsburgh had to scratch and claw their way offensively in the middle game of their series with the Marlins Saturday but managed to do just enough to pick up the victory. The Pirates entered Sunday afternoon third in the NL Central, 12 games behind the Brewers for the top spot in the division. They were a distant 10.5 games behind the Cardinals for the final wild card spot in the National League. On Saturday, Pittsburgh outhit Miami nine to five, with no player having more than one hit in the contest. The Pirates tallied the game’s lone run in the sixth inning on a RBI single by Yoshi Tsutsugo in the sixth inning. Pittsburgh went just one for 11 with runners in scoring position in the contest. Jose Quintana (3-5) earned the win on the mound as he threw seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits with no walks and four strikeouts. David Bednar worked around a walk in the ninth, striking out a pair, for his 17th save. < /p>
JT Brubaker is on the mound as he makes his 19th start of the season for the Pirates in this contest. He comes into this game 2-8 with a 4.02 ERA, a 1.415 WHIP, 40 walks and 97 strikeouts over 94 innings of work on the year. Brubaker didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came July 13 on the road against Miami. He threw seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in an eventual 5-4, 10-inning, Pirates defeat. In his last three starts, Brubaker is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, nine walks and 21 strikeouts over 18 innings of work. Brubaker makes his ninth career appearance and eighth start against the Cubs in this contest. He comes in 3-2 with a 2.87 ERA, a 1.274 WHIP, 14 walks and 45 strikeouts over 37.2 innings of work against them. Brubaker is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP, eight walks and 22 strikeouts over 14.2 innings in four career appearances, three starts, at Wri gley Field.