Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 pm ET, CSN)
Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks lock horns in Game 2 (9:40 pm ET, CSN) on Tuesday, at Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona so make sure you place your bet on baseball. The Cubs have a 36-47 home, 16-24 away record whereas Diamondbacks have a 32-51 home, 19-21 away record. The Cubs leads the series by 1-0.
Over the Arizona Diamondbacks, for the first time, the Chicago Cubs have won four straight matches. With Carlos Silva on the mound, they will try to extend that streak Tuesday night. Against Arizona (32-51), Chicago (36-47) has always struggled, going 36-52 from that franchise’s 1998 inception through last season. With a total of 10 homers and 37 runs, the Cubs have responded easily to take the next four.
As part of an 11-hit performance by the Chicago lineup in a 9-4 victory Monday, Starlin Castro and Geovany Soto each drove in two runs. During a seven-game homestand, after Alfonso Soriano went 4 for 23 last week and he could be back in the lineup. After going 3 for 25 on the homestand, Derrek Lee also did not start Monday. After missing two games with a sprained left thumb, Aramis Ramirez returned to the Chicago lineup and had a single in four at-bats.
From April 16-June 7, Chicago won all 10 of Silva’s (8-2, 2.96 ERA) starts. While receiving four total runs of support in his last four starts, Silva is 0-2 with a 3.04 ERA. Last Thursday in a 3-2, 10-inning loss to Cincinnati, the right-hander allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings, allowing a season-high five runs over five innings and not receiving a decision.
Since winning Kirk Gibson’s managerial debut last Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks have lost three straight games. In the three losses, Arizona has totaled six runs.
Last Wednesday, Barry Enright (1-0, 1.80) debut was a success, as he gave up one run over five innings to earn a 4-2 victory at St. Louis.
Replacing an ineffective Dontrelle Willis, the 24-year-old right-hander will remain in the rotation. In 2007, at Double-A Mobile this season, in a second-round draft pick, Enright was 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 14 starts.
