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Cubs @ Twins: Hendricks vs. Hughes (Game 65 Thread)
CHC (35-29): RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-2, 3.80)
MIN (36-30): RHP Phil Hughes (4-6, 4.79)
First pitch: 7:10pmCT
Fowler# cf Rizzo* 1b Bryant 3b Montero* c Castro ss Coghlan* lf Denorfia rf Schwarber* dh | Dozier 2b Rosario* rf Mauer* 1b Plouffe 3b Nunez ss Suzuki c Vargas# dh Escobar# lf Buxton cf |
Hendricks threw 57 pitches over 5 innings in a rain-shortened outing against CIN on Saturday. He gave up 1 ER and struck out 7 but didn’t get the W in a game the Cubs would go on to win 4-3. None of the Twins have faced him. He’s 2-1 with a 4.05 in his 7 road starts this season.
Hughes (who’s only 28 but seems like he’s been around forever) gave up 3 ER in 6 innings for a no decision against TEX his last time out. He has been consistently mediocre or worse for the whole season, at home and on the road. He is nowhere near what he did last year, when he went 16-10 with a 3.52. He has never pitched against the Cubs, but a handful have faced him. They are 5-17 as a team. David Ross, Joe Maddon’s new favorite pinch hitter, is 3-8 with a HR.
The Cubs last played the Twins in Minnesota in June 2012. Here was the starting line-up: Johnson, Castro, DeJesus, Soriano, Baker, Mather, Barney, Stewart, K. Hill, Dempster. Oof. We somehow won the game (8-2), which gave the Cubs a 20-40 record--on the way to losing 101.
The Twins had a great May (20-7, and 5 of 6 from CWS), but otherwise they have a losing record, including their 6-11 June. They are are batting .239 against RHPs this year, with a .667 OPS, which is 27th in baseball. They are 22-12 at home, but I like our chances.
LHP Lester (4-5, 3.99) and RHP May (4-5, 4.26) go tomorrow, and RHP Arrieta and RHP Gibson (4-5, 3.33) close out the series on Sunday.
Go Cubs!
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