Pregame Notes: Edwin Jackson on the mound for Game 2 vs Rockies

The last time starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (5-11, 5.76 ERA) took the mound for the Cubs (43-61), he ended up leaving the game after five innings of work against the San Diego Padres.

Jackson was experiencing a little bit of cramping in his pitching hand, or it could have been the fact that he allowed the Padres to plate five runs (all earned) off seven hits in the series finale. So far the month of July hasn’t been too kind to Jackson as he’s allowed a total of 22 earned runs off 34 hits with five home runs, and three losses in five starts  against the Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Padres.

It’s not the worst month of his career, but it very well could be if he doesn’t have himself a solid outing against Jorge De La Rosa (11-6, 4.19 ERA) the Colorado Rockies (43-62) later on tonight. The most earned runs Jackson has given up in a single month was back in 2010 when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks where he was tagged for 25 in the month of May.

Eight of those runs (month high) came from the very team he’s representing today.

De La Rosa on the other hand, is coming off a solid outing against the Washington Nationals, and is currently undefeated in the month of July. The left handed veteran has only allowed five earned runs off 21 hits with no home runs, and 19 strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington.

It was a complete turn around after he was absolutely picked apart in six outings just a month ago, allowing 25 earned runs off nearly 40 hits.

Tonight’s telecast of the Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies will be shown on WGN and aired on WGN 720 with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 P.M. CT.

Here’s tonight’s lineups for both teams: