Preview: Cubs at Pirates

[October 07, 2015]  The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs went through 162 games and ended up with the second and third best records in the major leagues, respectively. The two will square off and continue to spark debate about the postseason format when the Cubs visit the Pirates on Wednesday in the one-game National League wild-card playoff for the right to face the MLB-best St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional round.

Pittsburgh is no stranger to the one-game playoff and is making its third straight trip to the game after winning in 2013 and falling to the eventual World Series-champion San Francisco Giants in the edition. Ace Gerrit Cole did not get a chance to pitch in either of those first two games but will take the mound on Wednesday opposite Jake Arrieta, who is coming off a historic second half. Chicago’s ascent this season is one step in a process started when Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer took over the front office, and the team they built is brimming with young talent on offense like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber. The Pirates took two of three from Cincinnati over the final weekend of the regular season to finish the season one game ahead of the Cubs and ensure the game would take place in Pittsburgh, where they are 53-28.

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60)

Arrieta is on the short list for the NL Cy Young Award due in large part to a second half in which he went 12-1 with a 0.75 ERA. The 29-year-old scattered six hits and one walk over 22 scoreless innings in his final three starts while striking out 27. The last time Arrieta, who allowed one hit in seven innings at home against the Pirates on Sept. 27, gave up a run and failed to earn a win came at Pittsburgh on Sept. 16, when he was charged with two runs (one earned) on six hits in eight innings without factoring in the decision.

Cole won his final three starts as well, yielding a total of six runs and 17 hits in 21 innings with 19 strikeouts. The former No. 1 overall draft pick went seven innings at Chicago on Sept. 25 and allowed one run and four hits to pick up the win and improve to 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA in nine career starts against the Cubs. Cole struck out 32 in 25 2/3 innings against the Cubs in 2015.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cubs pitching staff surrendered a total of nine runs during an eight-game winning streak that closed the regular season.

2. Chicago took 11 of 19 meetings in the regular season, including six of 10 in Pittsburgh.

3. The Cubs led the majors in strikeouts on offense (1,518) and by the pitching staff (1,431).

PREDICTION: Cubs 3, Pirates 1

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.