The Cubs' offense tallied seven walks and thirteen hits, but pushed across one too few runs to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Astros. They fly into Philly with a record of 19-24. Nico Hoerner is expected to return to the active roster this weekend, and Cody Bellinger remains listed day-to-day after injuring his knee following a leaping catch at the wall in Houston. The 20-23 Phillies are coming off four losses in a row and have sunk to fourth in the NL East. See below for matchups.

Game 44, Friday, May 19, 6:05 pm central

CHC: RHP Marcus Stroman (2-4, 3.24 ERA)

Geuri Lubo slugged a two-run HR, Jefferson Rojas and Anderson Suriel each drilled two-run doubles, Cole Roederer doubled and singled and scored two runs, and SP Mason McGwire tossed three innings of one-hit shutout ball for the Cubs, and Franyel Baez clubbed a two-run HR, Juan Aparicio smacked a two-run double, and Luis Rubio laced a two-run single for the Diamondbacks Black squad, as the two teams played to an 11-11 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

Jefferson Rojas slugged a solo HR in the top of the 1st, singled, stole two bases, and scored a run in the 5th, singled in the 7th, and blasted a two-run HR in the 8th, Christopher Paciolla singled, reached base on an HBP, and drilled a two-run double in the 8th, and Jairo Diaz singled twice, walked, and scored two runs, as the Cubs outlasted the Diamondbacks Red Squad 11-8 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, east of Scottsdale, AZ.

After taking the series opener, the Cubs lost two blowouts to the Minnesota Twins. They'll try their luck in Houston next, arriving in Texas with a 19-21 record opposing the 21-19 Houston Astros. See below for matchups.

Game 41, Monday, May 15, 7:10 pm central 

CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (0-2, 6.41 ERA)

HOU: RHP Framber Valdez (3-4, 2.38 ERA)

Game 42, Tuesday, May 16, 7:10 pm central

CHC: LHP Justin Steele (6-0, 1.82 ERA)

HOU: RHP Cristian Javier (3-1, 3.47 ERA)

Game 43, Wednesday, May 17, 7:10 pm central

Angel Arevalo reached base four times (a double and three walks), stole a base, and scored two runs, Luis Freitez singled twice, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Derek Chorro hurled four innings of no run / no hit ball in relief, as the Athletics took advantage of nine walks, a HBP, and four WP to edge the Cubs 4-3 in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played Saturday morning at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Yeison Santana drilled an RBI single in the 3rd inning that put the Cubs on the board and a bases-loaded bases-clearing triple in the 7th that turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead, stole a base, and scored a run, Raino Coran belted a triple, walked twice, stole a base, and scored two runs, and Christian Olivo doubled and scored in the 7th and laced an RBI single and stole base in the 9th, leading the Cubs to a 7-5 victory over the Rockies in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played Friday morning on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

The Cubs took the final game of their homestand to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Cardinals. They enter the road trip 18-19 and holding at third in the NL Central. The Pirates are one for their last ten and the Brewers are two for their last ten, but they maintain first and second respectively as every NL Central team has a losing record over the same span. The Twins, on the other hand, sit atop a weak AL Central.

Adan Sanchez doubled and scored in the 5th and belted a three-run HR in the 6th, Ke'Shun Collier drilled a two-run single in the 5th that put the Cubs up 4-3, and Geuri Lubo laced a game-tying single in the 6th, as the Cubs rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the 5th and then an 8-4 deficit in the 6th to tie the Diamondbacks Red squad 8-8 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Ed Howard tripled and scored in the 1st inning, collected an RBI on a fielder's choice and scored a run in the 3rd, and reached base on an error and scored in the 7th, Jefferson Rojas blooped an RBI single into short RF, stole a base, and scored a run in the 1st and walked and scored in the 3rd, Ismael Mena belted a triple into the RF corner leading off the bottom of the 3rd and scored a run, Geuri Lubo blasted a three-run HR onto the LF berm to cap a four-run 3rd, and five pitchers combined on a five-hitter with twelve strikeouts, as the Cubs defeated the Athletics 8-1 in a Cactus League E

SP Erick Reynoso tossed three innings of shutout ball, Junior Franco singled twice, scored two runs, and drove-in two more, Ruben Santana (Diamondbacks #17 prospect) drilled an RBI single in the 4th and walked and scored in the 6th, and shortstop Cristofer Torin (Diamondbacks #16 prospect) singled, stole a base, and scored a run in the 1st, belted an RBI triple and scored in the 5th, and made a highlight reel backhanded catch in short LF to end the game, as the Diamondbacks Red squad cruised past the Cubs 7-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Whirlwind