Cubs vs. Mariners: Lester vs. Hernandez (Game 138)
CHC (74-63): LHP Jon Lester (11-9, 4.36 ERA)
SEA (48-81): RHP Félix Hernández (1-4, 6.02 ERA)
First pitch 7:05pmCDT
Lester gave his team six innings of one-run baseball against the Mets in his final August start. Today, he and his supporting cast will go for a two-game sweep against the visiting Mariners. Kyle Seager with two homeruns off of the lefty, and Dee Gordon is 2-8. Most other Mariners have only a few at bats against the veteran.Félix Hernández battled shoulder issues for much of the season, missing most of May and all of June and July and returning to the majors in late August. In two starts since that return, he's pitched 11.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on eight hits (three homeruns) and four walks, collecting seven strikeouts along the way. Heyward is 3-12 and Lucroy 3-16 off of the man who once was King. Castellanos and Rizzo are each 2-5 with a homerun.
The Cubs made use of several players from the expanded roster yesterday's win, starting Robel Garcia and using Underwood and Wieck out of the bullpen. Zobrist has yet to make his highly anticipated(?) return, Javy will probably continue to rest his injured thumb, and Contreras is still making his way back to the active roster.
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