Pregame Notes: Travis Wood and Cubs aim to sweep Red Sox

Left-handed starting pitcher Travis Wood (7-6, 4.52 ERA) and the Chicago Cubs (36-46) will look to complete the three game sweep against Brandon Workman (1-1, 3.27 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox (38-46) later on this evening.

Wood is coming off a no-decision against the Washington Nationals on June 26, a game where he worked through 6 2/3 innings allowing three earned runs off seven hits and tying a season high five walks.

There has only been five runs scored between the two teams in the first two games, but has featured some excellent pitching, especially from the visiting team. Wood and Jason Hammel currently lead the Cubs with seven wins each.

Workman will be picking up start number eight on the year, coming off a season high seven innings of work in a loss against the New York Yankees on June 27.

He allowed the Yankees to record four earned runs off seven hits, two of those were two out back-to-back home runs by Kelly Johnson and Brett Gardner which led them to a 6-0 victory over their long-time rival.

Both Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro needed to bounce back after failing to make a difference during the first game of the series. Last night against Buchholz and the Red Sox, Rizzo and Castro combined for three hits through seven at-bats with the young power hitting first baseman leading the charge.

Tonight’s series finale between the Cubs and Red Sox is scheduled for a 6:10 P.M. CT start, and will be aired on both WCIU and WGN 720.

Here’s the lineups for both the visiting and home teams: